1  I  B  RAFLY 

OF  THE 

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at  lUindj  u  UrtMiu-Qumptign  > 


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FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 


FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 


FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS 


'  Build  thee  more  stately  mansions,  O  my  soul, 
As  the  swift  seasons  roll! 
Leave  thy  low-vaulted  past! 
Let  each  new  temple,  nobler  than  the  last, 
Shut  thee  from  heaven  with  a  dome  more  vast, 

Till  thou  at  length  art  free, 
Leaving  thine  outgrown  shell  by  life's  unresting  seal" 

OLIVER  WENDELL  HOLMES. 


CHICAGO 

PRIVATELY  PRINTED 
1907 


COPYRIGHT,    IQ07 

BY 
C.  L.  RICKETTS 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

PERSONAL  REMINISCENCES     -  n 

INTEREST  IN  CLUB  LIFE  53 

EXTRACTS  FROM  MRS.  PARKER'S  LETTERS  63 

MEMORIAL  RESOLUTIONS  116 

NEWSPAPER  EDITORIALS         .....  ^6 


H 

*) 

:  N 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FRONTISPIECE 

OLD  HOME  AT  CITY  POINT  -                      -           12 

PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  PARKER  AT  35  YEARS  •           •      16 

GARDEN  AT  CITY  POINT  20 

GARDEN  AT  ENGLEWOOD    -  -      24 

LIBRARY  CORNER  IN  HOME  AT  ENGLEWOOD    -  31 

OLD  COOK  COUNTY  NORMAL  SCHOOL  -      49 

PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  PARKER  AT  45  YEARS  -                                  63 

PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  PARKER  AT  30  YEARS  -     92 

HOUSE  AT  ENGLEWOOD             -           -  -           -                    116 


FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 


EARLY  LIFE,  BOSTON 

CORA  WHEELER 

Frank  Stuart,  only  daughter  of  Calvin  Stuart  and  Dorothy 
Furbush,  was  born  in  Boston,  April  19,  1847.  In  tne  father 
and  mother  may  be  traced  the  characteristics  which  blended 
happily  in  the  artistic  temperament  of  the  daughter.  Quiet 
and  philosophical,  yet  full  of  dry  wit  and  with  a  fund  of  mim- 
icry and  an  appreciation  of  the  dramatic,  Mr.  Stuart  was  de- 
voted to  his  home  and  eminently  adapted  to  make  it  happy. 
Mrs.  Stuart  was  a  most  rare  spirit,  and  her  character,  both 
strong  and  sweet,  had  a  great  influence  on  all  who  knew  her. 
She  loved  poetry  and  music,  and  was  in  sympathy  with 
nature,  having  great  love  of  the  beautiful  and  a  remarkable 
talent  for  decoration.  Her  strong  sense  of  justice  and  the 
religious  bent  of  her  mind  are  also  to  be  noted. 

With  such  an  inheritance,  it  is  not  strange  that  we  find 
Frank  Stuart  during  her  school  days  an  unusually  bright 
and  attractive  girl.  One  of  the  teachers  to  whom  she  always 
felt  that  she  owed  much  writes  as  follows : 

"I  can  see  her  now,  a  sprightly  little  girl  of  seven  or  eight 
years,  —  I  wish  I  could  sketch  her  on  paper  as  she  is  sketched 
in  my  mind,  —  slender,  light-haired,  with  a  look  as  if  she 
knew  that  she  were  doing  better,  anyway,  than  some  of 
those  around  her.  I  found  her  exceedingly  mature,  brilliant 
far  above  her  classmates  in  rendering  the  meaning  of  any 
thing  which  she  read  —  a  foretaste,  perhaps,  of  her  signal 
success  as  teacher  of  elocution.  Oh,  how  enjoyable  it  was 
to  teach  her!  I  can  truly  say  that  never,  among  the  hun- 
dreds of  children  whom  I  have  carried  through  the  earlier 
grades,  has  there  been  a  brighter,  more  interesting  child,  in 


12         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

every  way,  than  Frankie  Stuart.  Next  or  equal  to  her  fond- 
ness for  elocution  was  her  love  of  flowers ;  she  loved  to  possess 
them,  to  plant  and  rear  them  in  her  own  little  garden.  She 
would,  when  she  went  away  on  her  summer  vacation,  exact 
a  promise  from  her  parents  that  they  would  send  some  of  the 
first  blooming  flowers  to  her  teacher,  between  whom  and  her- 
self there  was  ever  a  most  loving  understanding." 

As  a  young  woman,  Frank  Stuart  was  brilliant  and  viva- 
cious, always  ready  with  a  witty  rejoinder  or  an  anecdote  or 
quotation  appropriate  to  the  occasion  or  to  the  theme  under 
discussion.  She  attracted  young  friends  in  great  numbers, 
and  the  City  Point  house  was  a  rendezvous  for  many 
bright  people.  She  was  married  quite  early  in  life,  and  before 
she  was  twenty  was  the  mother  of  two  children,  Mabel  (now 
the  wife  of  George  Rolfe  of  Cambridge,  son  of  W.  J.  Rolfe, 
the  Shakespearian  critic)  and  Edna  (Mrs.  Thomas  Hill  Shep- 
ard  of  Brookline). 

Her  devoted  love  for  these  children  and  their  almost 
adoring  worship  of  her  filled  a  large  place  in  her  life,  and 
will  be  recalled  by  all  who  knew  her  in  her  home.  As  they 
grew  older,  she  was  to  them  a  companion  and  a  good  com- 
rade as  well  as  a  tender  mother.  Some  extracts  from  letters 
written  by  her  to  the  elder  daughter,  while  the  children  were 
in  the  country  for  the  summer  vacation,  give  a  glimpse  of  the 
wise  and  loving  mother  thoughtfulness,  and  account  for  the 
confidence  which  always  existed  between  the  mother  and 
daughters: 

"I  am  glad  that  you  are  out  so  much;  I  look  forward  to 
seeing  a  great,  rosy,  strong  girl  come  back  to  me.  Is  Edna 
getting  fat  ?  Don't  let  her  play  too  hard.  Tell  her  I  send 
her  some  pictures,  and  I  want  her  to  write  a  composition  on 
them." 

"  I  want  so  to  see  you  both  that  I  feel  anxious  for  fear  some 
harm  will  happen  to  you.  Be  careful,  my  darlings,  of  your- 
selves, for  I  should  be  a  desolate  mamma  if  my  babies  should 
be  hurt.  Now  for  some  directions  which  I  want  my  daughter 
to  follow  implicitly.  She  must  be  very  careful  to  look  neat 


OLD    HOME   AT   CITY    POINT 


REMINISCENCES   AND   LETTERS  13 

and  clean  always.  She  must  not  go  out  to  walk  without 
some  of  the  ladies  or  girls.  She  must  remember  that  Mrs. 

and  the  rest   will  judge  by  her  something  of  what 

kind  of  a  mother  she  has,  and  if  she  is  not  polite,  well-bred, 
unselfish,  and,  above  all,  reserved  and  discreet,  will  blame 
her  mother  for  it.  I  know  you  are  so  womanly  and  love  me 
so  much  that  I  can  be  sure  you  will  do  nothing  to  grieve  me." 

Cottage  City,  Aug.  7,  1881. 

My  dear  Mabel, — Your  lovely  letter  came  last  evening, 
and  I  was  delighted  to  receive  it.  I  have  had  so  few  letters 
from  my  daughter  that  I  began  to  feel  as  if  I  had  now  only 
a  methodical  young  person,  whose  banker  I  was,  and  not  my 
loving  little  girl,  who  told  me  all  sorts  of  things,  and  whose 
precious  little  confidences  were  very  dear  to  me.  But  it  is 
all  right  now,  and  I  hope  you  will  see  to  it  that  the  young 
person  is  repressed  in  the  future,  and  that  I  receive  letters 
only  from  my  daughter. 

I  should  like  very  much  to  have  Bessie  with  you.  She 
is  a  charming  little  lady,  and  I  like  her.  There  is  only 
one  objection  —  and  that  does  not  trouble  me  much,  for 
you  begin  to  realize  that  you  are  a  sort  of  a  mother  to  Edna. 
I  think  I  half  fear  that  you  and  Bessie  will  be  so  fond  of  each 
other  that  you  will  shut  Edna  out  of  the  good  time.  Please 
remember,  dearie,  that  she  is  your  sister,  whom  you  are  to 
love  dearly,  in  order  that  she  may  love  and  look  up  to  you, 
and  that  you  are  to  have  her  enjoy  the  summer  as  much  as 
you  and  Bessie  are  enjoying  it,  and  it  will  be  all  right. 
Mamma  has  perfect  confidence  that  it  will,  and  so  is  glad 
to  have  Bessie  go. 

Now,  "Lovely,"  I  want  you  to  romp  all  the  four  weeks 
that  you  are  gone.  Romp,  forget  that  you  are  Miss  Stuart  of 
the  Boston  Latin  School,  and  just  put  on  your  oldest  dress 
and  stay  out  of  doors  all  the  time.  Pick  berries,  drive  the 
cows  home,  find  wild  flowers,  climb  trees,  and  everything  else 
that  you  can  think  of,  do,  except  read.  I  don 't  want  you  to 
look  at  a  book  while  you  are  gone.  You  will  have  enough 
of  that  next  winter. 


i4         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

"I've  had  some  very  pleasant  pupils  this  year.  I  wish 
you  could  meet  them.  They  will  hardly  believe  that  I  have 
a  daughter  so  large,  and  think  I  must  be  trying  to  fool  them. 
Col.  Parker  called  me  Miss  Stuart  so  persistently  that  I  had 
to  tell  him  I  have  a  daughter  taller  than  myself.  He  is  to  be 
Edna's  supervisor  next  year.  Tell  her  that  he  has  new  ideas 
on  the  spelling  question,  and  that  she  will  probably  reap  the 
benefit  of  them." 

Mrs.  Stuart's  dramatic  talent  and  fine  literary  taste  had 
long  been  recognized  by  her  teachers  and  friends,  and  it  was 
suggested  that  she  should  study  elocution  with  Prof.  Lewis  B. 
Monroe.  At  the  age  of  twenty-nine,  she  entered  the  Boston 
University  School  of  Oratory,  and  for  three  years  studied 
under  the  famous  teachers  of  that  institution,  among  whom 
were  Lewis  B.  Monroe;  Alex.  Graham  Bell,  the  inventor  of 
the  Bell  telephone,  and  at  that  time  teacher  of  articulation 
and  visible  speech;  Henry  Hudson,  the  Shakespearian  critic; 
and  Robert  R.  Raymond,  whose  Shakespearian  readings 
have  never  been  equalled  in  this  country.  She  afterwards 
became  an  assistant  teacher  in  the  school.  After  the  death 
of  Prof.  Monroe,  Prof.  Raymond  established  the  Boston 
School  of  Oratory  as  an  independent  institution,  and  Mrs. 
Stuart  became  his  able  assistant,  having  charge  of  the  depart- 
ment of  Voice  and  Delsarte  System  of  Gesture. 

Of  Mrs.  Stuart  at  this  time  Genevieve  Stebbins,  now 
Mrs.  Astley,  writes: 

To  her  powerful  influence  on  dramatic  art  and  literary 
interpretation  hundreds  of  grateful  pupils  testify;  no  one 
could  come  under  Mrs.  Stuart's  teaching  without  having 
higher  ideals,  clearer  insight,  and  a  lasting  impulse  towards 
better  living.  She  was  intensely  loyal  to  the  school,  admir- 
ing and  reverencing  the  genius  of  Prof.  Raymond,  the  princi- 
pal. She  never  lost  an  opportunity  of  impressing  upon  the 
pupils  the  value  of  his  illustrative  work,  while  he,  on  his  part, 
gladly  admitted  the  benefit  derived  from  association  with  her. 
He  depended  upon  her  to  prepare  the  pupils,  in  awakened 


REMINISCENCES   AND  LETTERS  15 

observation  and  stimulated  thought  as  well  as  in  voice  and 
gesture,  for  his  classes.  It  was  an  ideal  association,  and 
pupils  will  gratefully  remember  how  these  two  supplemented 
each  other  in  the  work  of  the  school. 

Early  in  her  professional  life,  Mrs.  Stuart  became  exceed- 
ingly interested  in  the  study  of  voice  and  was  for  some  time  a 
pupil  of  Dr.  Guilmette.  Possessed  of  a  fine  musical  sense,  she 
was  able  so  to  assimilate  the  exercises  given  as  to  use  her  own 
beautiful  voice  with  perfect  freedom  and  ease,  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage, and  also  to  impress  upon  her  pupils  the  importance 
of  this  part  of  the  work  and  the  essential  points  in  the  produc- 
tion of  a  voice  equal  to  the  demands  of  dramatic  expression. 
The  clearness  of  her  illustrations,  her  patient  persistence,  and, 
above  all,  her  faith  in  the  pupil's  ability  to  do  the  seemingly 
impossible  thing,  can  never  be  forgotten. 

This  applies  to  all  her  teaching.  It  was  inspiring,  appeal- 
ing always  to  the  best  and  strongest  in  the  natures  about  her. 
Of  only  one  thing  was  she  impatient  or  intolerant  —  insincer- 
ity. This  she  detected  at  once,  and,  knowing  that  it  was 
fatal  to  all  true  art,  she  used  all  her  tact  and  power,  even 
sometimes  the  surgeon's  knife  of  sarcasm,  to  reach  the  real 
self  and  awaken  it  to  true  expression. 

Two  of  her  characteristic  observations  shew  her  way  of 
impressing  truth :  "Egotism  in  a  person  is  like  a  Chinese  wall 
built  around  him;  it  excludes  all  impressions  from  outside, 
and  makes  progress  absolutely  impossible."  "  Self  -con- 
sciousness, arising  from  latent  fear  of  what  others  will  think 
of  us,  is  not  modesty,  but  vanity." 

Mrs.  Stuart's  influence  on  the  stage,  during  this  period, 
was  greater  than  perhaps  was  realized  at  the  time.  Her 
criticisms  were  sought  for  and  highly  valued,  and  those  among 
her  pupils  who  have  devoted  themselves  to  acting  have 
always  upheld  her  ideal  of  truth  in  art. 

The  following  estimates  of  Mrs.  Parker's  work  and  influ- 
ence are  from  those  who  had  the  opportunity  of  knowing  it 
from  different  standpoints.  Mary  Shaw,  a  favorite  Boston 
actress,  writes: 


16         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

The  impression  Frank  Stuart  made  on  me  was  very 
great,  for  my  first  meeting  with  her  was  at  the  time  I 
went  on  the  stage.  I  was  then  impressionable  and  suscep- 
tible, and  Mrs.  Stuart  was  among  the  very  first  distinguished 
people  I  met.  She  was  the  intimate  friend  of  people  who 
were  greatly  interested  in  my  career,  and  I  remember  dis- 
tinctly receiving  a  note  to  call  on  her,  as  she  had  something 
of  interest  to  say  to  me.  It  all  comes  back  to  me  very 
vividly.  The  cordial  hand-clasp  of  a  graceful,  lovely 
woman,  who  in  reply  to  my  diffident  "Is  this  Mrs.  Stuart?" 
put  me  entirely  at  ease  by  recognizing  me  and  immediately 
transported  me  to  the  seventh  heaven  of  gratification  by 
adding:  "You  are  very  talented,  and  I  hope  you  will  not  be 
annoyed,  for,  at  the  request  of  a  friend,  I  am  going  to  tell 
you  some  grave  faults  you  have."  And  she  did,  impressing 
on  me  the  fact  of  how  easy  it  was  to  change  them  before 
they  had  hardened  into  mannerisms.  After  that  we  had 
many  talks.  I  was  greatly  influenced  by  her  splendid  en- 
thusiasm and  artistic  insight.  My  work  took  me  away  from 
Boston  for  a  couple  of  years,  and  when  I  returned  I  was 
preparing  to  play  in  a  Shakespearian  repertoire.  I  again 
went  to  her  for  help,  and  she  advised  me  to  study  the  plays 
in  which  I  was  to  appear  with  Prof.  Raymond.  No  actor 
or  student  I  have  ever  met  could  compare  with  him  in 
knowledge  or  sympathy  with  Shakespearian  r61es.  I  owe 
Mrs.  Stuart  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  interesting  him  in  my 
behalf.  For  I  can  truly  say  that  all  the  impulse  to  study 
out  the  truth  and  beauty  of  Shakespeare's  characters  was 
imbibed  from  his  matchless  magnetism  and  knowledge.  I 
seldom  saw  her  in  the  succeeding  years,  and  then  only  for  a 
few  moments  in  a  social  way.  But  I  am  sure  there  are 
many  who,  like  me,  can  trace  much  of  the  best  and  most 
vital  influences  of  their  early  professional  life  to  her  unerring 
sympathy  and  love  of  art.  And  I  should  say  that  her  influ- 
ence on  dramatic  art  was  by  reason  of  her  fine  enthusiasm, 
which  she  made  an  inspiration  to  her  pupils,  teaching  them 
to  admire  and  appreciate  the  power  of  expression.  I  am 
very  glad  to  have  the  opportunity  of  applying  this  tribute  to 


PORTRAIT   OF   MRS.   PARKER   AT   35   YEARS 


REMINISCENCES   AND   LETTERS  17 

a  woman  who  was  always  so  helpful  and  generous  to 
women.  Among  the  women  teachers  in  the  Temple  of  Art, 
it  seems  to  me  we  have  had  few  so  sincere  and  gifted  as 
Frank  Stuart  Parker. 

Franklin  H.  Sargent,  of  the  New  York  School  of  Dram- 
atic Art,  says: 

Mrs.  Stuart  was  a  teacher  in  the  Monroe  School  of 
Oratory,  in  Boston,  while  I  was  a  student  there.  I  was, 
from  the  start  of  my  acquaintance  with  her,  impressed  with 
her  remarkable  abilities  as  a  teacher,  the  thoroughness  and 
unusual  taste  she  displayed  in  her  work. 

She  was  one  of  the  few  elocutionists  who  had  keen  ap- 
preciation of  the  aesthetic,  and  made  a  fine  study  of  the 
scientific.  She  impressed  me,  above  all  else,  as  a  thorough 
technician.  In  my  own  case,  many  a  difficult  problem  she 
helped  solve  when  other  teachers  blinded  me. 

Something,  perhaps  a  great  deal,  of  her  success  as  a 
teacher  was  due  to  her  charming  personal  qualities  and  her 
responsiveness  to  the  needs  of  a  pupil.  Her  teaching  was 
essentially  personal;  I  mean  it  showed  a  profound  appre- 
ciation of  the  individual  pupil 's  temperamental  qualities  and 
sensibilities. 

I  remember,  when  she  became  the  wife  of  Colonel 
Parker  and  removed  to  Chicago,  the  loss  that  I,  in  common 
with  many  others  who  had  studied  with  her,  felt.  I  had 
many  communications  from  her,  in  which  we  discussed 
questions  of  particularly  pantomimic  technique,  which  letters, 
unfortunately,  I  have  not  preserved.  I  saw  her  but  once 
after  she  left  Boston,  when  I  called  upon  her  at  her  home, 
and  found,  in  conversation,  that  her  work  had  ripened  even 
more,  and  that  her  pedagogic  knowledge  had  greatly  in- 
creased under  the  impulse  given  her  at  that  time  in  that 
direction  by  her  husband. 

Mrs.  Parker  had  a  wonderful  appreciation  of  the  abilities 
of  others,  particularly  of  other  teachers,  and  seemed  to 
infallibly  know  the  peculiar  strength  or  weakness  of  each 
teacher  that  she  came  in  contact  with. 


i 8         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

I  am  very  regretful  that  my  remembrances  are  of  such 
a  general  character.  The  old  days  with  Professor  Monroe, 
while  they  glow  in  my  memory,  have  become  somewhat 
covered  by  the  mist  of  the  past,  for  I  am,  like  an  actor,  con- 
stantly facing  the  footlights  and  blinded  by  them  to  many 
of  the  realities  and  recollections  of  life. 

Mrs.  Louise  Peabody  Sargent,  a  dear  friend  and  pupil,  says: 

Mrs.  Parker  was  one  of  the  strong  influences  in  my  life. 
She  chose  me  as  a  friend  (I  was  many  years  her  junior), 
and  she  was  kindness  and  devotion  itself.  She  had  the 
faculty  of  seeing  the  capabilities  and  talents  of  her  students, 
and  she  always  kept  them  up  to  their  standard,  if  possible, 
in  a  kindly,  interested  way.  She  had  a  remarkable  mother, 
who  kept  entirely  in  her  home  circle  and  yet  had  a  wide  and 
beneficent  influence. 

Mrs.  Parker  had  great  power  and  dominating  influence, 
but  it  was  always  exerted  evenly  and  kindly. 

I  never  knew  her  unjust;  she  was  often  severe,  but 
necessarily  so.  Her  insight  into  character  was  keen,  and  I 
know  of  two  instances,  at  least,  where  she  was  the  only  one 
of  many  who  read  the  true  character  of  pretenders.  Even 
Professor  Monroe  was  deceived  in  these  cases,  and  I  thought 
she  must  be  mistaken,  but  time  proved  her  to  be  in  the  right. 

I  always  associate  her  with  books.  She  always  had  a 
well-selected,  choice  library,  even  when  it  was  small,  and  I 
felt  sure  no  valueless  books  could  be  found  in  the  great 
library  she  afterward  owned. 

Flowers,  too,  were  seemingly  a  part  of  her.  From  earliest 
spring  to  latest  fall  she  wore  flowers,  had  them  with  her  in 
her  rooms,  and  gave  them  to  her  friends,  to  the  children,  and 
to  the  sick.  An  immense  flower  garden  was  hers  at  City 
Point,  where  the  continuous  bloom  gave  delight  to  all  her 
many  friends.  She  got  at  the  best  always,  the  heart  of  life, 
of  her  friends,  books,  flowers;  hers  was  always  the  genius 
for  selection. 

She  commanded  the  devotion  of  her  friends.  She  was 
a  leader.  She  had  the  courage  of  her  convictions,  and  was 


REMINISCENCES   AND  LETTERS  19 

a  reformer,  always,  however,  in  the  quiet,  refined  way,  for  she 
had  exquisite  taste  and  refinement.  She  was  one,  rather,  who 
led  others  to  a  better  standard,  a  higher  life.  She  was  liberal 
and  broad-minded,  and  forgiving,  and  mourned  over  those 
who  did  not  keep  upright  in  the  path  of  life. 

Mrs.  Genevieve  Stebbins  Astley,  of  New  York,  has  given 
the  following  description  of  Mrs.  Parker  and  her  early  work : 

A  great  pair  of  eager  eyes,  a  fine,  sensitive  mouth,  a 
broad,  intellectual  brow.  Such  is  the  picture  living  in  my 
memory  as  it  goes  meandering  backward  in  thought  twenty- 
one  years  ago  and  sees  its  original  image  in  1878,  standing  up 
before  a  class  in  Professor  Monroe's  School  of  Oratory,  Bos- 
ton, reciting  a  tender  little  Irish  piece. 

My  coming  there  was  to  fulfil  the  double  function  of 
student  and  teacher.  James  Steele  Mackaye,  the  first 
lecturer  of  the  system  of  Delsarte  in  America,  had  been  an- 
nounced in  Boston.  He  was  unable  to  keep  his  engage- 
ment, and  so  sent  me,  then  his  most  advanced  pupil,  to 
represent  him  at  the  School.  I  gave  the  lessons,  and  Mrs. 
Stuart,  as  she  was  then,  asked  me  to  exchange  lessons  with 
her.  Later  I  went  to  live  in  her  house,  and  the  sweet  com- 
panionship of  those  student  days  can  never  be  forgotten. 
Long  into  the  midnight  hours — sometimes  —  we  both  talked, 
built  fairy  castles,  and  planned  and  dreamed  realizations  of 
artistic  ideals,  and  even  now  these  faint  memories  seem  to 
bring  back  once  again  the  sweet  perfumes  of  those  Elysian 
days  spent  in  loving  comradeship. 

The  following  fall,  she  became  a  teacher  in  the  Boston 
School  of  Oratory,  the  summer  having  been  spent  with  me 
by  the  sea. 

Again  we  worked  and  played  and  took  long  walks  to- 
gether. A  picture  now  comes  before  me  as  she  sat  under  a 
great  tree  by  the  water — bough  of  red  berries  in  her  hand — 
we  were  reading  Browning  together,  and  she  looked  so 
bright  and  loving  and  full  of  genius  that  I  thought  such 
another  soul  must  have  been  Mrs.  Browning. 

Mrs.  Stuart  Parker  was  a  rare  combination  of  the  ex- 
quisite woman  with  the  keen  intellectual  acumen  of  the  man. 


20         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

Her  breadth  of  view  was  so  large;  not  one  atom  of  petty 
femininity.  A  grand  womanhood  was  in  all  her  views.  She 
was  a  loyal  friend,  if  ever  she  once  became  one,  needing  no 
protestation. 

Her  marriage  with  Colonel  Parker  separated  us  in  the 
body  (but  never  in  the  spirit),  for  she  went  to  live  in  Chicago, 
but  I  always  felt  as  sure  of  her  spiritual  love  and  sympathy 
as  if  our  lives  still  ran  side  by  side. 

Our  artistic  and  intellectual  studies  together  were  those 
of  alternating  pupil  and  teacher,  she  giving  me  elocution- 
ary work,  I  giving  her  interpretation,  drama,  and  Delsarte. 
So  my  reminiscence  is,  perforce,  a  personal  one.  I  know 
that,  in  the  larger  class  and  lecture  use  of  her  fine  method, 
she  was  an  inspiration  to  her  pupils.  May  the  future,  in  that 
higher  life,  bring  us  again  together  in  an  unbroken,  spiritual 
companionship,  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

To  the  hearts  of  many  friends,  of  those  who  knew  Mrs. 
Parker  as  a  teacher,  of  many  others  who  knew  her  as  a  writer, 
lecturer,  and  educator,  comes  as  a  great  sorrow  the  death 
of  this  gifted,  widely-known,  and  beloved  woman. 

Her  absolute  sincerity  and  fearlessness,  her  scorn  of 
everything  that  savored  of  affectation,  her  broad  and  intel- 
ligent criticism,  her  clear  insight,  added  to  an  unusual  tact  and 
charm  of  manner,  gave  her  a  wonderful  influence  over  her 
pupils  —  an  influence  that  must  make  itself  felt  throughout 
their  lives.  Her  study  was  the  study  of  humanity.  Every- 
thing that  she  did  was  instinct  with  love  of  truth  in  its  highest 
forms.  Although  often  struggling  with  physical  weakness,  her 
brave  spirit  enabled  her  to  accomplish  a  wonderful  amount 
of  work.  Her  ideals  were  high,  and  she  was  ever  critical 
of  her  own  achievements,  always  seeking  for  some  better  or 
clearer  way  of  presenting  her  subject. 

It  was  as  a  teacher  and  friend  that  the  writer  had  the  privi- 
lege of  knowing  Frank  Stuart  Parker,  and  she  would  here 
lovingly  and  reverently  acknowledge  the  great  impetus  and 
inspiration  that  she  owes  to  the  wise  counsel,  the  tender  sym- 
pathy and  encouragement,  and  especially  the  searching 
criticism  of  this  clear-headed,  strong-hearted  woman. 


REMINISCENCES   AND  LETTERS  21 

After  making  her  home  in  the  West,  her  interest  in  her 
husband's  work  led  her  to  give  herself  more  and  more  to  the 
cause  of  general  education.  Lecturing  and  reading  at  many 
institutes  and  clubs,  she  always  illustrated,  in  her  own 
attractive  manner  and  finely-trained  voice,  the  true  principles 
of  elocution,  and  in  her  influence  the  power  of  the  well- 
poised,  broadly-cultured  woman. 

Those  who  have  been  privileged  to  join  an  informal 
home-group  and  listen  to  her  reading  from  Browning  or 
Emerson,  and  her  talk  afterward  about  the  inner  meanings 
of  the  poems,  have  seen  her  at  her  very  best,  and  may  well 
be  thankful  for  the  remembrance. 

Easter  morning  broke  for  her  with  the  new  light  of  divine 
revelation.  Now,  with  yet  clearer  insight,  she  rejoices  in  the 
spiritual  truth  and  beauty  that  through  her  earthly  life  she 
sought  so  earnestly. 

"On  the  earth  the  broken  arcs;  in  the  heaven  a  perfect  round." 


FAMILY  AND  HOME  LIFE,  CHICAGO 

MARTHA   FLEMING 

Mrs.  Parker  touched  life  at  so  many  points  that  it  might 
be  thought  she  had  little  time  and  strength  to  give  her  home. 
Yet  it  was  in  the  home  that  she  was  seen  at  her  best,  and  one 
privileged  to  come  and  go  freely  felt  everywhere  the  presence 
of  the  thoughtful,  loving  wife,  mother,  and  daughter. 

Upon  her  marriage  to  Colonel  Francis  W.  Parker,  in 
1883,  she  took  into  her  heart  education  in  all  its  phases. 
Her  love  for  her  husband  was  the  motive  force  in  her  life. 
Theirs  was  an  all-sided  companionship  —  intellectual  as 
well  as  spiritual  —  a  partnership  of  work  as  well  as  of 
affection  and  congenial  pursuits.  They  were  friends  as  well 
as  lovers.  With  her  he  could  talk  over  all  his  theories  and 
plans.  She  was  in  perfect  sympathy  with  his  ideals  and 
purposes  in  life  and  education.  Their  work-desks  stood 
side  by  side  in  the  same  study.  She  collaborated  with  him 
in  all  he  wrote,  stimulating  and  spurring  him  on  not  only 
by  her  deep  sympathy,  but  by  her  suggestions  and  her  criti- 
cisms —  for  she  was  his  most  unsparing,  unflinching  critic. 
The  folio  whig  dedication  to  "Talks  on  Pedagogics"  is  his 
loving  acknowledgment  of  his  indebtedness  to  her: 

"This  book  is  lovingly  dedicated  to  my  wife,  Frank 
Stuart  Parker,  who  has  assisted  very  much  in  the  preparation 
of  every  page,  as  well  as  in  all  my  work  as  a  teacher." 

Many  of  his  educational  battles  she  fought  for  him.  In 
times  of  trouble,  when  one  of  these  annual  battles  was  being 
waged  against  his  thought  and  methods  by  the  school  board, 
her  devotion  took  the  practical  form  of  personal  interviews 
with  newspaper  men  and  others  in  influence,  and  these  were 
often  won  over  by  her  clear  intellectual  grasp  of  the  situation 
and  her  personal  power  in  presenting  it.  Indeed,  after  her 
death  he  often  remarked,  "She,  not  I,  was  the  fighter." 


REMINISCENCES   AND  LETTERS  23 

She  was  resourceful,  tactful,  courteous,  determined  in  all 
these  conflicts,  yet  with  it  all  so  quiet,  so  charmingly  womanly 
that  she  never  seemed  intrusive  or  aggressive.  Only  her 
enthusiasm  for  the  cause  of  education  and  her  deep  faith 
in  her  husband's  vision  made  it  possible  for  her  to  take  the 
initiative,  as  she  often  did  in  these  struggles,  and  when  the 
work  was  done  she  made  such  haste  to  efface  herself  that 
she  was  never  in  the  public  eye,  and  she  had  such  a  keen 
sense  of  the  fitness  of  things  that  she  never  embarrassed  him 
or  put  him  in  a  false  position  by  her  support. 

She  took  the  greatest  pride  in  his  success  as  a  public 
speaker.  He  had  studied  with  her  to  improve  his  voice  and 
public  speaking  before  their  marriage,  and  she  was  always 
his  teacher.  The  following  is  from  a  report  on  his  speech 
made  in  Madison,  Wis.,  at  the  National  Educational  Asso- 
ciation, 1884,  by  Bardeen,  editor  of  the  "New  York  School 
Bulletin,"  Syracuse,  N  Y.: 

"The  Massachusetts  men  claim  that  Colonel  Parker  is 
a  bull  in  a  china  closet,  and  exhibit,  whenever  he  appears,  a 
pitiable  quandary  between  anxiety  to  save  their  hand-deco- 
rated systems  by  driving  him  out  and  apprehension  to  escape 
his  horns  in  the  operation.  There  did  not  seem  to  be  a 
genuine  bull- fighter  among  them.  They  were  all  of  that  sub- 
ordinate order  of  prinked-up  attendants  whose  office  is 
to  throw  goading  rosettes  into  the  bull's  flanks,  and  the 
Colonel  didn't  madden  worth  a  cent.  He  stood  up,  cool, 
collected,  good-natured,  master  of  the  situation. 

"By  the  way,  how  he  has  improved  since  he  married! 
Everybody  knew  that  his  necktie  would  be  kept  straight, 
but  few  anticipated  such  a  progress  in  his  manner  of  public 
speaking.  Everybody  spoke  of  it  at  Madison,  and  one  or 
two  were  sharp  enough  to  observe  that,  wherever  the  Colonel 
was,  not  far  away  was  an  attractive  little  woman  with  dark 
hair  and  nervously  intent  manner,  watching  every  point  of 
the  discussion,  flushing  when  a  point  was  made  against  her 
husband,  and  smiling  in  co-operative  triumph  when  he 
turned  upon  his  opponents  and  routed  them.  Our  word 
for  it,  she  can  repeat  more  of  the  discussion  afterwards  than 


24        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

he  can,  and  it  is  to  the  review  of  such  discussions  under  her 
critical  judgment  that  he  owes  his  rapid  advance  in  the  art 
of  oratory." 

They  always  took  their  vacation  together,  hand  in  hand, 
with  the  abandon  of  children,  for  they  found  in  each  other's 
company  inexhaustible  entertainment.  Dressing  herself 
for  the  occasion,  she  would  fish,  tramp,  climb  mountains 
side  by  side  with  her  husband,  or  camp  out  for  the  night,  as 
the  old  soldier  loved  at  times  to  do. 

They  never  tired  of  perpetrating  droll  jokes  on  each 
other.  He  would  often  wake  her  in  the  morning  by  bits  of 
impassioned,  mock  oratory  on  the  most  trivial  subjects,  or 
read  with  the  soberest  voice  the  most  astonishing  news  from 
the  morning  papers  until  the  absurdity  of  the  exaggeration 
betrayed  him.  They  were  comrades  in  play  and  comrades 
in  work. 

Gradually  she  gave  up  her  own  chosen  work,  that  she 
might  devote  all  her  talents,  time,  and  energy  to  assisting  her 
husband  in  working  out  his  ideals.  This  was  not  accom- 
plished without  an  inward  struggle,  for  literature  and  the 
art  of  expression  satisfied  the  demand  and  longings  of  her 
artistic  nature,  but  her  love  and  admiration  for  her  husband 
and  her  belief  in  his  theories  of  reform  appealed  to  that 
which  was  deepest  and  strongest  in  her  nature  —  an  abiding 
love  for  children  and  for  humanity. 

On  her  marriage  she  left  her  friends  and  home  in  Boston, 
and  with  her  two  daughters  moved  to  Chicago.  They  built 
a  home  in  Englewood,  near  the  Cook  County  Normal  School. 
Mrs.  Parker  planned  this  house  and  superintended  the  build- 
ing, decorating,  and  furnishing.  It  was,  as  far  as  possible, 
an  expression  of  her  idea  of  a  home.  The  grounds  were  large 
and  well  kept. 

From  early  spring  until  late  autumn  there  was  always  a 
profusion  of  flowers.  The  coloring  of  the  interior  was  soft 
and  restful,  and  although  the  whole  was  very  simple  it 
always  gave  the  effect  of  richness  and  elegance.  Books  were 
everywhere.  A  few  choice  pictures  and  pieces  of  bric-a-brac 
added  their  special  charm,  the  whole  effect  being  artistic  and 


GARDEN   AT  ENGLEWOOD 


REMINISCENCES   AND  LETTERS  25 

harmonious,  for  she  had  a  marvellous  talent  for  cozy  arrange- 
ment and  was  as  sensitive  to  color  effects  as  she  was  to  delicate 
shades  of  tone  in  the  human  voice.  To  deprive  herself  of 
these  refined  and  dainty  surroundings  meant  self-denial  and 
heroism.  With  all  her  varied  and  exacting  outside  interests, 
Mrs.  Parker  was  an  accomplished  housekeeper.  She  had 
reduced  housekeeping  to  a  system,  which  covered  every 
detail  and  economized  both  time  and  strength.  This  enabled 
her  to  dispense,  without  apparent  effort,  that  charming 
hospitality  for  which  she  was  distinguished.  Educators  and 
other  noted  people  interested  in  Colonel  Parker's  work 
were  constantly  coming  and  going.  These  Mrs.  Parker 
counted  it  her  privilege  to  entertain.  Her  cordial  manner, 
responsiveness,  keen  wit,  and  quick  repartee  added  color  and 
light  to  the  more  serious  problems  that  were  often  discussed 
about  this  table.  There  was  entire  freedom  from  restraint 
and  conventionality  —  every  guest  felt  himself  to  be  a  part 
of  the  family,  partaking  freely  of  its  rich  intellectual  life, 
as  well  as  of  the  more  material  comforts  of  a  well-ordered 
home. 

This  home  was  the  centre  of  a  large  circle  of  friends. 
Teachers  and  pupils  felt  free  to  come  and  go.  The  faculty 
of  the  Normal  School  held  many  famous  meetings  in  the 
beautiful  rooms.  Mrs.  Parker  was  always  present  at  these 
meetings,  alert,  keen,  active,  helpful,  a  harmonious  spirit 
moving  among  these  earnest  workers.  One  who  was  privi- 
leged to  enter  into  the  home  life  of  Mrs.  Parker  as  an  intimate 
friend  soon  acquired  the  habit  of  going  there  not  only  for 
intellectual  stimulus,  but  for  comfort  in  loss  and  sorrow,  and 
for  that  inspiration  and  uplifting  of  spirit  which  not  only 
quiets  pain,  but  turns  thought  away  from  self  towards  the 
larger  issues  of  life,  and  makes  it  possible  for  the  sore  heart 
to  enter  into  the  world's  work  again  with  enthusiasm  and 
joy.  Her  own  eye  was  fixed  on  the  great  things  of  life  in  the 
individual  as  well  as  the  universal.  She  was  one  of  those 

"  Who  saw  life  steadily,  and  saw  it  whole." 

Petty  things  dwindled  into  insignificance  in  her  presence. 


26         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

She  was  perfectly  fearless  when  she  thought  a  principle  was 
at  stake,  and  had  the  courage,  whether  the  cause  was  popular 
or  unpopular,  to  range  herself  on  the  side  which  seemed  to  her 
right. 

Aristocratic  to  the  finger-tips  by  birth,  she  was  in  thought, 
feeling,  and  action  intensely  democratic,  always  demanding 
that  liberty  for  the  individual  which  would  give  him  freedom 
to  work  out  his  own  salvation.  Her  attitude  towards  the 
dress  reform  for  women,  her  courage  in  wearing  unconven- 
tional dress,  her  constant  cry  that  the  children  should  not  be 
hampered  with  the  barbarisms  of  fashion,  and  so  robbed  of 
the  best  days  of  their  lives,  her  association  with  the  cause  of 
suffrage  and  with  the  different  clubs  and  organizations  for  the 
advancement  of  women,  as  well  as  her  vigorous  defence  of 
the  Cook  County  Normal  School  and  of  her  husband's  aims 
in  education  when  they  were  misunderstood  and  reviled,  all 
attest  her  courage,  strength,  independence,  and  force  of 
character.  So  much  power  in  one  so  delicately  organized, 
so  dainty  and  intensely  feminine  in  all  her  ways,  was  always 
surprising. 

Hers  was  an  intellectual  and  spiritual  force  rather  than 
physical.  Her  personality  was  remarkable,  permeating  the 
home,  the  school,  the  social  circle ;  one  always  felt  her  presence. 
There  was  a  charm  of  grace,  a  distinction  of  manner  about 
her,  difficult  to  define.  Her  well-trained  voice  was  low,  rich, 
and  mellow,  with  a  peculiar  vibrant  quality  that  haunted 
the  ear;  her  hand  was  strong,  firm,  and  expressive;  her  car- 
riage regal,  even  when  she  was  ill  and  weak.  All  her  gest- 
ures were  quiet  and  graceful,  delicately  supplementing  what 
she  was  saying. 

She  was  keenly  sensitive  to  beauty  in  nature  and  in  art,  and 
was  one  of  the  strongest  supporters  of  nature  study  in  the 
elementary  schools  and  of  field  excursions  for  the  children, 
when  these  were  calling  out  the  most  vigorous  protests  and 
ridicule  from  the  newspapers  and  school  men.  She  felt 
deeply  the  demand  made  by  all  children  for  pictures,  music, 
and  beauty  of  surroundings,  and  made  many  eloquent  appeals 
for  these  in  the  school. 


REMINISCENCES   AND   LETTERS  27 

Mrs.  Parker's  life  was  too  full  of  practical  work  to  allow 
her  to  write  much.  "Some  day"  she  hoped  to  write  a  book 
on  "The  Function  of  Expression  in  Education."  Of  this  she 
talked  very  often,  but  only  a  small  beginning  was  ever  made. 
The  chapters  on  Expression  in  Colonel  Parker's  "Talks  on 
Pedagogics"  voiced  her  thought  on  the  subject.  Of  her  little 
book,  "Order  of  Exercises,"  the  "Independent"  writes: 

"We  have  read  this  book  by  Mrs.  Frances  Stuart  Parker 
with  interest.  We  expected  to  find  it  somewhat  of  an 
exposition  of  the  Delsarte  theories,  but  find  instead  a  very 
sensible  guide  for  teachers  in  systematically  conducting 
physical  and  elocutionary  exercises.  This  is  a  subject  in 
which  the  wise  living  teacher  is  worth  far  more  than  any 
book;  and  undoubtedly  those  who  have  had  some  training 
under  Mrs.  Parker  will  get  the  most  good  out  of  her  book. 
Its  purpose  is  not  to  teach  '  elocution '  in  the  old  sense  of  the 
term,  but  to  develop  a  good  voice  and  a  body  capable  of  using 
it  to  express  whatever  of  soul  there  is  within.  The  directions 
for  practice  and  the  tables  of  exercises  are  extremely  sen- 
sible." 

A  pamphlet,  "Dress  and  How  to  Improve  It,"  discusses 
the  adaptation  of  dress  to  the  individual,  and  gives  practical 
suggestions  on  breathing  as  well  as  on  dress.  It  appeals 
strongly  to  common  sense,  and  has  some  beautiful  illustra- 
tions of  truly  artistic  gowns  in  actual  wear.  Her  belief  was 
that  conventional  dress  may  be  modified  so  as  to  give  free- 
dom, comfort,  and  beauty  to  the  wearer. 

Of  Mrs.  Parker's  public  addresses  almost  nothing  has 
been  preserved  in  writing.  She  spoke  for  the  most  part  ex- 
temporaneously along  a  line  usually  carefully  premeditated. 

Art  and  literature  were  to  her  unfailing  sources  of  refresh- 
ment and  joy.  She  was  a  deep  student  of  Shakespeare, 
Emerson,  and  Browning,  and  interpreted  them  with  rare 
insight  into  the  intellectual  and  spiritual  significance  of  their 
works.  She  was  always  ready  with  some  newly-discovered 
beauty  to  give  to  the  friends  who  gathered  about  her.  To 
know  her  was  to  come  into  close  communion  not  only  with 
the  great  masters,  but  with  literature  in  general,  for  she  was  a 


28         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

wide  reader,  and  catholic  in  her  taste.  The  well-known 
Sunday  evenings  at  home  played  a  great  part  in  the  life  and 
pleasure  of  those  privileged  to  be  within  the  charmed  circle. 

Books  were  a  great  solace  to  Mrs.  Parker  through  all 
the  long,  weary  months  of  her  last  illness.  A  light  was 
arranged  just  over  her  bed,  and  many  a  night,  when  sleep 
was  denied,  she  found  in  them  forgetfulness  of  pain,  rest 
and  comfort.  At  this  time,  it  was  her  greatest  delight  to 
read  to  the  friends  who  called  to  see  her  whatever  ap- 
pealed to  her  sense  of  humor,  her  love  of  beauty,  and  her 
sympathy  with  human  life.  Her  voice  retained  its  stirring, 
resonant  quality  and  strength,  even  when  the  body  seemed 
too  frail  for  earth.  I  remember  especially  her  reading,  on 
one  of  those  days,  Sidney  Lanier's  "The  Marshes  of  Glynn" 
and  "The  Song  of  the  Chattahoochee "  —  every  shade  of 
the  beautiful  thought  and  perfect  rhythm  so  mirrored  in 
her  face,  voice,  and  movement  that  one  forgot  everything 
but  the  exquisite  lines  of  the  poet. 

Mrs.  Parker  had  strong  convictions  about  God  and 
the  future.  Immortality  and  love  were  to  her  basic  ele- 
ments in  human  life,  and  she  always  spoke  of  the  life  to 
come  as  one  who  had  seen  and  known.  Years  before  her 
death,  writing  freely  to  a  friend,  she  said : 

I  suppose  that,  some  time  or  other,  I  shall  go  the  way 
of  the  rest  of  them,  into  the  light  beyond.  The  other  world 
holds  three  people  whom  I  long  to  see  with  a  passionate 
longing:  my  mother,  that  I  may  tell  her  that  the  love  she 
so  unselfishly  lavished  upon  me  is  at  last  fully  appreciated. 
Another,  an  old  teacher,  who  planted  the  seeds  of  what  is 
best  in  my  life  to-day.  I  think  she  truly  saved  my  soul. 
The  other,  a  dear  girl  friend,  the  dearest  that  I  ever  had, 
that  I  may  see  her  well  and  happy,  for  her  life  here  was 
a  terrible  disappointment.  I  do  not  mourn  the  lost  oppor- 
tunities here,  as  some  do,  because  the  experiences  here  have 
brought  an  intense  longing  for  the  good,  the  beautiful,  and 
the  true,  and  there  I  shall  have  plenty  of  time  to  work  it  all 
out.  The  next  world  always  seems  to  me  a  place  where, 


REMINISCENCES   AND  LETTERS  29 

with  clearer  eyes,  with  more  definite  faith,  and  a  stronger 
hope,  one  may  work  out  the  best  in  him  into  better. 

Through  all  the  long,  painful  illness  she  had  an  unflag- 
ging courage  and  trustfulness,  an  unfailing  cheerfulness 
and  courtesy.  Her  interest  in  people,  education,  and  lit- 
erature never  failed.  She  continued  making  the  collection 
of  pictures,  and  with  all  the  enthusiasm  and  energy  of  her 
nature  she  planned  for  the  future  of  the  new  school,  so  soon 
to  be  established,  for  in  it  she  saw  freedom  for  her  husband's 
work.  When  she  faced  the  inevitable,  it  was  with  the  same 
courage  and  faith  that  she  had  faced  the  problems  of  life. 
She  was  so  full  of  hope,  of  life,  and  work,  that  death  seemed 
strange  to  her;  but  she  was  peaceful,  quiet,  and  conscious 
to  the  last  hour  of  life.  And  when  the  final  separation 
came,  she  turned  with  the  eye  of  faith  to  the  new  day, 
whose  dawn  was  just  breaking,  with  the  words,  "I  am  the 
Resurrection  and  the  Life" — but  strength  failed,  and,  look- 
ing at  her  husband,  she  said,  "Finish  it."  Then,  after  the 
words  were  repeated,  she  turned  her  face  to  the  wall,  and 
quietly  went  to  sleep.  To  her,  death  was  the  gate  of  life, 
and  therefore  she  passed  through  serenely.  It  was  all  as 
she  would  have  chosen,  for  it  was  her  wish  to  meet  death 
face  to  face.  Many  a  time  have  I  heard  her  voice  ring  out 
in  that  magnificent  lyrical  defiance  of  death,  Browning's 
"Prospice,"  exulting  in  the  final  victory : 

Fear  death?  —  to  feel   the  fog  in  the  throat, 

The  mist  in  my  face, 
When  the  snows  begin,  and  the  blasts  denote 

I  am  nearing  the  place, 
The  power  of  the  night,  the  press  of  the  storm, 

The  post  of  the  foe; 
Where  he  stands,  the  Arch  Fear  in  a  visible  form, 

Yet  the  strong  man  must  go: 
For  the  journey  is  done  and  the  summit  attained, 

And  the  barriers  fall, 
Though  a  battle's  to  fight  ere  the  guerdon  be  gained, 

The  reward  of  it  all. 
I  was  ever  a  fighter,  so — one  fight  more, 

The  best  and  the  last! 
I  would  hate  that  death  bandaged  my  eyes,  and  forbore, 

And  bade  me  creep  past. 


30         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

No!  let  me  taste  the  whole  of  it,  fare  like  my  peers 

The  heroes  of  old, 
Bear  the  brunt,  in  a  minute  pay  glad  life's  arrears 

Of  pain,  darkness,  and  cold. 
For  sudden  the  worst  turns  the  best  to  the  brave, 

The  black  minute's  at  end, 
And  the  elements'  rage,  the  fiend-voices  that  rave 

Shall  dwindle,  shall  blend, 
Shall  change,  shall  become  first  a  peace  out  of  pain, 

Then  a  light,  then  thy  breast, 
O  thou  soul  of  my  soul !     I  shall  clasp  thee  again, 

And  with  God  be  the  rest! 

Mrs.  Parker  died  April  i,  1899,  on  the  morning  before 
Easter.  The  funeral  services  were  held  at  her  home  on  the 
Tuesday  morning  following,  and  were  conducted  by  the 
Rev.  H.  W.  Thomas  and  Rev.  R.  A.  White.  Miss  Marcella 
Riley  sang  "One  Sweetly  Solemn  Thought"  and  "Come, 
Ye  Disconsolate." 

Her  ashes  lie  in  the  same  grave  with  those  of  her  hus- 
band at  Manchester,  New  Hampshire. 


SUNDAY  EVENINGS 

FLORA  J.   COOK 

It  was  in  Mrs.  Parker's  library,  in  her  home  in  Normal 
Park,  that  eight  or  nine  friends,  members  of  the  Cook  County 
Normal  School  Faculty,  met  regularly  on  Sunday  evenings 
to  hear  Mrs.  Parker  read. 

The  room  itself  undoubtedly  added  something  to  the 
charm  of  these  evenings.  It  had  a  distinct  personality  as 
subtle  and  indefinable  as  Mrs.  Parker's  own.  It  was  not  a 
large  room,  yet  it  seemed  so,  for  the  wood  fire  in  the  grate 
breathed  out  a  generous  hospitality,  and  on  the  shelves,  which 
filled  every  available  space  of  wall  and  chimney,  was  repre- 
sented almost  every  phase  of  human  interests  and  activity  — 
education,  politics,  poetry,  and  art.  These  books  were 
delightfully  arranged  and  cared  for;  one  knew  exactly 
where  to  look  for  the  old  and  valued  volumes  and  for  any 
needed  help  in  science  or  literature,  for  such  books  kept  their 
places  year  after  year.  There  were  certain  shelves  always 
filled  with  fascinating  new  books,  most  of  which  were  as 
transient  as  the  periodicals,  though  every  year  a  few  of  these 
stood  the  trial  of  probation  and  became  permanent  members 
of  this  large,  varied,  yet  most  exclusive  company. 

On  Sunday  evenings  Mrs.  Parker  usually  spent  the  entire 
time  reading  Browning,  for  she  was  determined  that  we  should 
enjoy  and  value  this  poet  whom  she  loved  and  admired  above 
all  others.  All  her  artistic  skill  and  rare  insight  were  thrown 
into  her  interpretation  of  his  poems.  In  her  best  moods  she 
often  became  fairly  radiant  with  emotion,  and  her  face  and 
body  reflected  and  responded  to  every  shade  of  it.  She 
felt  the  keen  joy  of  an  artist  in  her  expression,  and,  as  she  was 
a  thorough  Browning  student,  the  pleasure  and  inspiration  of 
these  evenings  cannot  well  be  measured  in  words.  They 
were  full  of  surprises.  For  instance,  if  she  wished  to  inter- 
pret the  art  poems  to  us,  she  would  perhaps  borrow  a  hun- 


32         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

died  or  more  pictures  to  use  in  illustrating  and  explaining 
the  poet's  inspiration  and  imagery.  Several  times  she  had 
music,  such  as  the  fugues,  played  by  some  gifted  musician  in 
interpreting  "Master  Hugues of  Saxe-Gotha."  Again,  we  had 
all  the  love  poems  or  all  the  religious  poems  read,  and  with 
them  the  varied  notes  of  literary  critics;  sometimes  one 
of  the  longer  dramatic  poems  took  the  entire  evening,  but 
it  was  always  something  new  and  something  charming.  We 
had  also  occasional  evenings  with  other  poets  —  Kipling, 
Lanier,  Lowell,  Wordsworth,  Rossetti,  and  Schiller. 

After  about  two  hours'  reading  came  the  informal  Sun- 
day evening  lunches,  in  which  Colonel  Parker  always  joined 
us,  and  to  any  one  who  knew  him  one  need  not  say  what  his 
presence  always  brought  to  the  gathering. 

After  luncheon  Mrs.  Parker  often  read  us  a  "Dooley" 
article  (for  she  enjoyed  Mr.  Dunne  exceedingly)  or  she 
recited  or  read  us  some  Irish  story  or  poem  with  her  charm- 
ing Irish  brogue  and  the  keenest  possible  appreciation  of 
every  shade  of  wit  and  pathos.  Often  at  this  time  she  read 
to  us  some  short  poem  or  description  which  she  had  found 
during  the  week  and  which  was  appropriate  to  the  time  or 
season,  for  she  dearly  loved  nature  and  nature  literature, 
while  color  and  all  forms  of  rhythmical  movement  appealed 
to  her  in  a  most  unusual  degree. 

As  the  years  went  by,  the  entire  company  became  a  family 
which  gathered  together  at  least  this  one  time  during  the 
week.  Our  great  regret  now  is  that  so  few  people  had  the 
benefit  of  this  ideal  relationship,  which  always  found  both 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Parker  at  their  very  best.  Mrs.  Parker's 
delight  in  literature  was  the  greatest  comfort  during  her  last 
painful  illness,  and  she  retained  her  wonderful  love  and 
enthusiasm  for  it  to  the  end.  The  last  of  our  Sunday  evenings 
was  one  of  the  most  beautiful,  though  the  saddest,  that  we 
ever  spent  together. 

It  was  known  to  us  that  she  could  not  live  long,  but  on  this 
evening  she  seemed  as  well  or  better  than  usual.  We  did  not 
know  that  she  had  been  told  that  she  must  die,  but  as  she 
read  to  us  each  one's  favorite  poem  and  afterwards  those 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  33 

upon  immortality  which  she  herself  loved  best,  though  she 
was  perfectly  calm  and  hopeful,  we  all  understood  that  it  was 
her  farewell  to  us. 

She  loved  life  intensely,  but  fully  expressed  to  us  her  great 
courage  and  faith  that  evening  as  she  read  one  after  another 
of  Browning's  great  poems,  ending  finally  with  her  best 
beloved  quotation : 

"There  shall  never  be  one  lost  good!     What  was,  shall  live  as  before; 

The  evil  is  null,  is  naught,  is  silence  implying  sound; 
What  was  good  shall  be  good,  with,  for  evil,  so  much  good  more; 
On  the  earth  the  broken  arcs;  in  the  heaven  a  perfect  round." 


A  REMINISCENCE 

ALICE   H.  PUTNAM 

"  To  man  propose  this  test  — 
Thy  body  at  its  best, 
How  far  can  that  project  thy  soul  on  its  lone  way?" 

RABBI  BEN  EZRA. 

It  was  on  a  glorious  summer  afternoon  on  the  piazza  of 
the  Sea- View  Hotel,  at  one  of  the  Martha's  Vineyard  Summer 
Institutes,  that  I  first  met  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Parker  (who  was 
then  Mrs.  Frank  Stuart).  She  had  been  reading  " Rabbi  Ben 
Ezra  "  to  a  delighted  group  of  people,  and  a  discussion  was 
opened  on  the  lines  I  have  used  in  the  heading  of  this  little 
memoir. 

Mrs  Parker  turned  to  me,  and  said:  "I  wonder  if  you 
kindergartners  begin  to  realize  how  much  help  you  would 
find  in  a  study  of  Delsarte's  '  Philosophy  of  Expression.'  It 
would  be  as  invaluable  to  you  in  interpreting  the  character 
and  moods  of  little  children  as  it  is  in  studying  grown  people." 
Then  and  there,  I  had  to  confess  my  entire  ignorance  of 
Delsarte,  except  as  applied  to  the  uses  of  the  stage,  and  also  a 
fear  lest  such  study  on  the  part  of  the  kindergartner  might 
hinder  the  spontaneity  of  children,  and  tend  to  make  them 
self-conscious.  "That  shows  how  little  you  know  of  the 
great  principles  the  man  stands  for,  and  how  widespread  is 
the  misinterpretation  of  him,"  said  Mrs.  Parker.  "Come 
over  to-morrow  morning,  will  you,  and  let  me  try  to  convert 
you?"  "Yes,"  said  the  sceptical  one,  "if  you  will  promise 
to  read  'Rabbi  Ben  Ezra'  again,  if  you  fail."  "She  is  safe  in 
pledging  herself  to  that,"  said  the  Colonel;  "she  never  fails 
in  anything  she  undertakes." 

The  result  of  the  morning's  talk,  although  there  was  no 
Browning  poem  read,  was  the  enrolment  of  the  "doubter" 
as  well  as  several  other  people  in  a  most  enthusiastic  class  for 
the  study  of  Delsarte's  idea,  which  study  was  continued  after 
the  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Parker  came  to  Chicago. 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  35 

"The  excellence  of  a  philosophy,"  says  Ruskin,  "consists 
in  the  breadth  of  its  harmony,  or  the  number  of  truths  it  is 
able  to  reconcile";  and  experience  in  this  particular  investi- 
gation proves  Ruskin  to  be  true.  At  each  lesson  under  this 
gifted  teacher  all  that  I  had  learned  of  the  oneness  of  life 
from  Froebel,  or  through  art  and  music  or  science,  whether  of 
nature  or  of  mind,  seemed  to  fall  hi  place  under  this  general 
idea  of  expression  of  the  inner  life  of  man  and  nature,  through 
outward  forms  —  and  even  Swedenborg's  saying,  "All 
truth  is  in  ultimates,"  came  to  have  a  new  meaning  and  to  be 
a  most  potent  factor  in  my  pedagogics  ("If  there  is  strength 
within,  there  must  be  freedom  at  the  circumference,"  was 
but  another  way  of  putting  Froebel's  idea  — "Make  internal 
external,  and  the  external  internal," — and  again,  "Do  this 
and  observe  what  follows  in  this  particular  case  from  thy 
action,  and  to  what  knowledge  it  leads  thee";  or  (Delsarte 
again)  "The  Trinity  in  nature  is  always  manifest  in  the 
greatest  as  well  as  in  the  least  thing"),  and  have  come  to 
mean  more  and  more  in  a  study  of  life. 

The  beauty  of  Mrs.  Parker's  teaching  lay  not  so  much 
in  setting  forth  something  peculiar  to  Delsarte  as  in  show- 
ing most  clearly  in  his  thought  that  which  was  common  to 
all  men,  so  that  one  instinctively  felt  at  home  in  the  study  of 
him,  even  from  the  beginning. 

Perhaps  the  one  thought  I  gained  through  Mrs.  Parker 
that  has  been  most  vital  to  me  as  a  training  teacher  grew  out 
of  the  saying:  "Give  value  to  that  which  is  of  value."  It 
set  for  me  a  study  of  proportion  —  whether  in  the  work  for 
the  children  in  the  kindergarten  or  for  that  of  our  training 
classes.  It  showed  me  in  another  light  the  tremendous 
importance  of  that  which  I  first  learned  to  know  through 
Froebel's  law  of  contrasts  and  their  connections.  Out  of 
Delsarte's  philosophy  of  the  expression  of  the  human  being 
(child  or  adult)  in  his  "bearing,"  his  "attitudes,"  his  "inflec- 
tions" (those  transient  states  which  dominate  him  for  the 
moment  only),  I  learned  to  know  how  to  follow  Froebel's 
idea,  and  "give  to  each  stage  that  which  it  demands."  It 
has  helped  me  to  understand  and  interpret  Froebel  more 


36         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

sanely,  because  in  a  less  isolated  fashion.  It  taught  me 
something  of  a  better  proportion  in  the  understanding  of 
certain  activities  and  desires  common  to  childhood,  and  a 
clearer  judgment  as  to  those  which  remain,  and  those  which 
are  peculiar  to  the  passing  stage ;  it  helped  to  determine  the 
"permanent"  in  music,  art,  literature,  and  science,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  realize  the  value  of  the  child's  own  crude 
expression  along  these  lines.  It  has  shown  something  of  the 
place  of  "technique"  in  education,  while  it  has  also  demon- 
strated the  necessity  for  that  which  technique  can  never 
supply.  And  speaking  of  this  reminds  me  of  one  of  our 
lessons,  when  Mrs.  Parker  quoted  Delsarte's  saying: 
"Technique  is  only  dangerous  to  mediocrity."  The  Colo- 
nel, who  was  present,  turned  to  the  class  with  the  merry 
twinkle  in  his  eye  which  we  all  had  learned  to  know  so  well, 
and  asked  if  that  could  be  the  reason  Mrs.  Stuart  disliked 
to  be  called  a  "  yell-ocutionist" ! 

Again  and  again,  as  I  look  through  the  old  note-books  of 
that  pleasant  summer,  I  am  reminded  of  Browning's 
thought: 

"  Don't  you  mark  ?  we're  made  so  that  we  love 
First,  when  we  see  them  painted,  things  we  have  passed 
Perhaps  a  hundred  times  nor  cared  to  see. 
God  uses  us  to  help  each  other  so, 
Lending  our  minds  out." 

Represented?  Set  in  perspective?  May  it  not  mean 
this? 


THE    CHICAGO    INSTITUTE 

ANITA  M'CORMICK  ELAINE 

No  one  could  have  heard  Colonel  Parker  speak  of  Mrs. 
Parker's  influence  in  his  life-work  without  realizing  what  a 
large  share  in  it  she  bore  —  in  the  strength  and  inspiration  she 
gave  him. 

The  one  incident  that  I  can  bring  to  add  to  the  wreath  of 
testimonies  to  her  bears  witness  to  that  side  of  her  life  that 
was  absorbed  in  Colonel  Parker's  work.  Of  the  long  years 
of  devotion  to  it,  with  active  labor  and  potent  upholding, 
others  will  speak  who  toiled  with  them  through  the  long  way. 
The  one  time  of  which  I  can  testify  was  at  the  moment  of  the 
formation  of  the  plan  to  create  a  school  on  an  independent 
basis  for  the  accomplishment  of  Colonel  Parker's  ideal  school. 
The  plan  had  been  under  discussion  for  some  months  and 
was  just  coming  to  a  focus  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1899. 
Colonel  Parker  had  been  considering  the  possibility  of 
carrying  out  such  a  plan  —  with  large  emphasis  on  the 
objections.  It  involved  his  resigning  from  the  public  school 
position,  which  he  held  the  more  triumphantly  because  of  the 
fight  and  the  victory  achieved  for  his  work  in  the  public 
schools.  If  fight  was  necessary  to  establish  the  principles  he 
believed  in  for  the  children  of  the  nation,  among  those  in 
authority  who  did  not  understand  them,  fighting  was  how  he 
would  die.  It  involved  withdrawing  from  the  public  school 
system  except  as  an  influence  —  for  his  whole  idea  through- 
out his  life-work  had  been  to  do  the  thing  as  he  saw  it  for 
all  the  children  of  the  country.  The  public  school  was  the 
high-road  he  saw  for  this  public  good.  To  the  public  school 
he  had  early  dedicated  his  life  effort.  Dissemination  was 
what  he  worked  and  prayed  for  within  the  school  system. 
Teachers  to  teach,  were  all  he  asked  for  —  with  freedom  in 
the  teaching. 

The  arguments  brought  to  him  for  the  new  plan  —  of 


38         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

greater  sureness  and  permanence  in  the  doing,  better 
facilities,  more  freedom,  possibly  wider  range  of  teachers 
when  not  limited  to  those  of  one  city,  etc. —  were  granted  and 
grasped  and  added  to  with  the  vigor  of  his  imagination. 
Still  the  doubt  remained  —  the  root  objection  still  held. 

In  the  deep  consideration  of  the  question  that  Colonel 
Parker  gave  it  he  took  counsel  of  several  advisers,  and 
when  the  time  approached  that  required  a  decision,  he  said 
that  he  had  practically  decided  that  he  would  make  the  move 

—  cast  the  die  for  one  new  effort  —  and  added  that  the  pre- 
vailing influence  that  had  determined  him  to  a  sureness  that 
this  was  his  course  was  his  wife's  opinion  of  the  wisdom  of  it. 

He  asked  me  to  go  to  see  her  and  talk  with  her  about  it. 
Mrs.  Parker  had  been  very  ill  all  the  winter.  I  found  her 
frail  and,  as  a  few  weeks  proved,  near  the  end  of  her  road, 
but  with  her  mind  as  alive  to  all  the  conflicting  interests  of 
the  moment  as  though  she  were  able,  and  she  alone,  to  steer 
them,  and  with  an  outlook  to  the  future  of  the  work  in 
which  her  whole  heart  lay  as  keen  as  though  she,  and  she 
alone,  would  live  to  see  it.  And  here  I  saw  how  Colonel 
Parker  was  upheld  in  a  decision  which  was  for  him  difficult 

—  how  her  sureness  was  reassuring    and  her  faith  inspir- 
ing.    She  had  no  doubt  of  the  wisdom  of  his  entering  into  the 
plan  for  a  new  school  —  no  doubt  of  his  ability  to  make  it 
all  that  it  should  be  —  no  doubt  that  it  would  solidify  and 
give  permanence  to  his  ideas  in  education  in  their  best  and 
ripest  moment.     Her  glance  took  in  the  near  and  the  far. 
She   grasped  all  the  immediate   difficulties  and  objections, 
but  these  daunted  her  not  a  whit,  for  she  seized  the  main 
ideas  as  true  —  that  the  great  purpose  could  be  better  car- 
ried out  with  more  freedom,  and  would  be  possibly  more 
far-reaching  if  not  limited  to  one  city,  and  would  be  more 
permanently  established  if  not  at  the  mercy  of  political 
appointment,  where  the  next  wave  could  obliterate  it  when 
Colonel  Parker  should  stop  his  work. 

Having  seen  beyond  the  difficulties  in  the  way,  her  sight 
rested  on  the  land  of  promise. 

And  in  that  vision  she  had  full  belief.     I  think  she  felt 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  39 

that  she  would  not  be  on  earth  to  see  it,  and  an  appeal  from 
her  heart  reached  out  to  the  world,  with  not  a  touch  of 
doubt,  to  uphold  the  work  and  carry  it  on.  If  she  had 
known  that  Colonel  Parker  would  but  see  the  edge  of  that 
land,  her  faith  would  doubtless  have  been  as  great  that  the 
hosts  would  still  be  led  into  it  by  a  sure  prophet. 

The  sanction  and  the  impetus  that  she  gave  to  the  new 
school,  even  as  she  was  passing  out  of  the  sphere  she  so  loved 
to  live  in,  seem  too  sacred  a  blessing  to  try  to  convey — ex- 
cept that  it  was  Colonel  Parker's  wish  that  this  should  be 
spoken  in  her  memory.  And  for  that,  I  could  wish  that 
I  could  better  convey  it.  The  real  essence  of  it  was  in  the 
way  that  Colonel  Parker  bent  to  the  new  work.  The  occa- 
sion, when  I  was  made  a  sharer  of  it,  seemed  one  of  the 
moments  that  link  the  future  with  the  present.  Her  faith 
and  its  work  must  be  among  the  things  that  live  after  in 
lives  made  better  by  their  presence. 


MUSEUM  AND  LIBRARY  WORK 

EMILY  J.  RICE 

In  Colonel  Parker's  last  report  of  the  Cook  County  and 
Chicago  Normal  School,  made  in  1899,  ne  says:  "In  1883, 
the  school  was  meagrely  furnished  with  apparatus,  books, 
collections,  and  other  illustrative  material.  There  were  a 
few  specimens  of  birds,  a  fair  collection  of  minerals,  and 
some  apparatus  for  teaching  physics.  The  Eberhartonian 
Society  had  collected  about  fifty  books.  It  is  gratifying  to 
report  that  the  school  now  has  an  excellent  all-round  equip- 
ment; thirteen  thousand  carefully  selected  volumes  in  the 
library,  card-catalogued  and  arranged  for  use;  the  largest 
school  collection  of  pictures  in  the  world;  and  a  very  large 
encyclopaedia  of  newspaper  clippings.  The  picture  collec- 
tion and  the  newspaper  encyclopaedia  are  the  work  of  Mrs. 
Frances  Stuart  Parker.  Many  of  the  collections,  mineralogi- 
cal  and  anthropological,  also  were  made  by  Mrs.  Parker." 

Mrs.  Parker  realized  that  the  daily  papers  and  the  maga- 
zines contain  valuable  articles  upon  all  subjects  of  study, 
and  she  felt  that  they  should  be  kept  hi  some  permanent 
form.  After  much  thought  in  regard  to  the  methods  of 
classification  and  means  of  preservation  of  this  material,  she 
decided  to  use  such  a  case  as  the  United  States  Government 
employs  for  the  filing  of  documents.  She  had  manila  slips 
cut  to  fit  the  spaces  4^  x  10  inches  in  size.  On  these  slips 
she  mounted  the  articles  saved  and  wrote  the  name  of  the 
paper  from  which  each  was  taken  and  the  date  of  publication. 
The  classification  of  these  slips  was  no  easy  task,  as  a  system 
had  to  be  worked  out  at  once  simple  and  yet  embracing  all 
the  many  phases  of  thought  in  the  collection. 

As  the  teachers  used  the  Newspaper  Encyclopaedia,  and 
realized  its  great  assistance  in  their  work,  the  question  came 
to  Mrs.  Parker:  "Why  could  not  pictures  be  brought  into 
the  school-room  in  much  the  same  way?"  She  began  to 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  41 

collect  pictures  from  the  illustrated  papers  and  magazines. 
These  were  mounted,  classified,  and  stored  in  large  cases  of 
drawers  made  for  the  purpose.  They  proved  to  be  of  inesti- 
mable value  to  the  teachers.  Often  as  many  as  three  hun- 
dred of  these  pictures  were  in  use  in  the  different  rooms  of 
the  school  in  a  single  day. 

Seeing  what  a  benefit  this  work  could  be  made  to  the 
school,  Mrs.  Parker  threw  all  her  energies  into  it.  Pictures 
could  rarely  be  purchased  for  the  purpose.  So  she  interested 
her  friends  in  the  matter,  collected  all  the  old  illustrated 
papers  possible,  and  was  ever  on  the  outlook  for  material. 
She  never  read  without  a  colored  pencil  in  her  hand,  with 
which  to  mark  articles  or  pictures  that  she  thought  would 
be  of  use. 

The  collecting,  mounting,  arranging,  and  classifying  of 
material  were  done  by  her  personally,  or  under  her  direct 
supervision.  Some  slight  idea  of  the  vast  amount  of  work 
that  she  accomplished  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  in 
1899  the  Picture  Collection  numbered  over  thirty  thousand 
pictures  and  the  Newspaper  Encyclopaedia  over  fifty  thou- 
sand slips. 

In  all  Mrs.  Parker's  travels,  she  had  these  collections  in 
her  thought,  and  always  brought  home  quantities  of  maga- 
zines, pictures,  and  photographs.  She  also  secured  many 
specimens  of  minerals  and  of  the  handwork  illustrating  the 
primitive  industries,  and  in  this  way  added  materially  to  the 
school  museum.  In  her  letters  from  Hawaii,  she  speaks 
constantly  of  the  growth  of  the  collection  that  she  was  mak- 
ing hi  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  these  letters  give  ample 
evidence  of  her  vital  interest  in  the  whole  matter  of  school 
material. 

She  gave  herself  freely  to  this  work  because  she  saw  what 
it  meant  to  the  cause  of  education,  which  she  dearly  loved. 
In  the  service  of  this  cause,  she  was  lavish  of  her  time,  her 
strength  and  means.  The  equipment  of  material  for  work  in 
the  Chicago  Normal  School  is  a  splendid  monument  to  her 
keen  understanding  of  the  conditions  of  the  schools  and  her 
energy  and  devotion  in  the  direction  of  their  improvement. 


INFLUENCE  UPON  ELOCUTION  IN  THE  WEST 

HENRY  M.    SOPER 

Twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago,  Chicago  and  the  great 
West  could  boast  of  only  a  very  few  whose  elocutionary 
instruction  was  founded  upon  a  rational  basis.  Here  and 
there,  a  college  or  seminary  had  a  department  of  elocu- 
tion, directed  by  an  able  instructor  in  the  art;  but  aside 
from  this  the  work  was  mostly  done  by  the  nomadic  elocu- 
tionist, who  was  a  sort  of  colporteur,  dispensing  his  goods 
from  point  to  point,  throughout  a  vast  territory,  with  a  ten 
days'  or  at  most  a  few  weeks'  sojourn  in  any  one  place. 
Those  desiring  a  complete  professional  course  in  this  line 
generally  went  to  Boston  or  to  some  other  Eastern  metropolis. 
Some  of  the  critics  of  the  early  elocution  of  the  West  as- 
serted that,  while  it  was  noted  for  fire  and  vigor,  it  was 
lacking  in  real  art  and  refinement,  and  that  the  Eastern 
elocution,  on  the  other  hand,  was  deficient  in  strength  and 
grandeur  of  voice  and  action. 

Doubtless  the  criticism  was  just  enough.  The  same 
energy  that  made  possible  the  conquest  of  Western  wilds, 
the  founding  of  mighty  cities,  and  had  to  do  with  creating 
gigantic  business  enterprises,  undoubtedly  made  its  influence 
felt  also  along  educational  lines,  and  caused  our  earlier 
exponents  of  the  elocutionary  art  in  the  West  to  cultivate 
force  of  expression  at  the  expense  of  many  other  equally 
desirable  qualities. 

The  disproportion  of  strength  and  grace  in  expression 
impressed  Eastern  readers  as  being  so  lacking  hi  refinement 
that  they,  perhaps,  went  to  another  extreme,  and  sacrificed 
force  for  elegance. 

In  the  midst  of  such  conditions,  Mrs.  Frank  Stuart 
Parker  appeared  upon  the  scene,  and  at  once  became  a 
potent  force  to  modify  these  conditions.  Her  influence 
was  as  far-reaching  as  it  was  powerful.  She  combined  the 


REMINISCENCES   AND  LETTERS  43 

elements  of  grace  and  vigor,  and  it  was  the  first  wonder  of 
the  stranger  that  such  a  slight  physique  could  exhibit  so  much 
vocal  power.  The  Western  exponent  of  elocution,  coming 
in  touch  with  this  grace  and  delicacy  of  the  Eastern  elocution 
as  shown  in  Mrs.  Parker's  teaching,  was  led  to  admire  and 
then  adopt  a  style  of  expression  that  combined  the  best 
points  of  both  the  Eastern  and  Western  styles,  so  that  it 
may  be  said  that  the  moulding  influence  of  Mrs.  Parker's 
professional  labor  produced  a  new  type  of  expression. 

An  extract  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  J.  M.  Maguire,  Superin- 
tendent of  Schools  of  Manitoba,  shows  the  far-reaching 
influence  of  Mrs.  Parker's  work  in  the  West : 

Mrs.  Parker's  addresses  were  eloquent  and  effective, 
showing  a  complete  mastery  of  her  subject,  and  made  a 
deep  and  lasting  impression  upon  her  hearers.  There  is  no 
question  that  Mrs.  Parker's  work  in  this  Province  has  had 
an  abiding  influence  upon  the  work  of  education.  Teachers 
here  speak  of  her  yet  with  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the 
higher  and  better  ideas  for  work  that  they  have  gained 
from  her  visit.  To  me,  and,  I  think,  to  others  also,  the 
chief  charm  of  her  public  utterances  lay  in  the  revelation 
of  the  pure  and  cultured  womanliness  of  the  speaker,  and 
in  her  deep,  loving  sympathy  with  human  nature.  With 
such  a  woman  as  Mrs.  Parker,  the  mere  platform  orator  that 
one  now  applauds,  now  criticises,  disappears,  and  one  sees 
instead  a  friend  talking  with  earnest  purpose  to  her  friends. 
I  should  like  to  give  just  one  instance  of  her  ready  tact,  her 
humor,  and  her  instant  sympathy  with  her  surroundings. 
At  one  of  the  Teachers'  Institutes,  Mrs.  Parker  had  just  fin- 
ished an  address  in  which  her  illustrations  were  drawn  from 
American  history  and  frequent  references  were  made  to 
American  characters.  As  she  sat  down,  there  was  a  mo- 
ment's silence,  as  there  usually  was  after  her  talks,  before  the 
applause  broke  forth,  testifying  to  the  depth  of  feeling  that 
had  been  stirred.  Then  came  the  applause, —  and  the  chair- 
man invited  discussion  on  the  topic  of  the  address.  Imme- 
diately an  old  fellow  —  a  teacher  —  was  on  his  feet  express- 
ing appreciation  of  the  address  just  given  by  Mrs.  Parker 


44        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

but  asking  why,  in  speaking  to  Canadian  teachers  on  British 
soil  and  under  Great  Britain's  flag,  the  speaker  had  seen 
fit  to  take  her  illustrations  from  American  life  and  history. 
Had  not  British  history  ample  material  for  such  references 
and  illustrations?  You  know  this  style  of  blatant  patri- 
otism, and  you  can,  perhaps,  imagine  my  feelings  and  won- 
der how  I  could  best  apologize  to  Mrs.  Parker  without 
wounding  the  feelings  of  the  old  man.  I  saw  Mrs.  Parker's 
half-hurt,  half-puzzled  look,  but  before  any  one  else  could 
think  of  anything  to  say  or  do  in  order  to  relieve  the  strain 
of  the  situation  her  face  cleared  and  she  was  on  her 
feet,  saying  with  her  own  inimitable  grace:  "Mr.  Chair- 
man and  friends,  I  must  apologize  for  my  inexcusable  over- 
sight hi  drawing  my  illustrations  from  American  history. 
It  certainly  was  not  because  of  any  lack  of  illustrious  names 
in  British  or  even  in  Canadian  history,  but  because  my 
address  was  prepared  for  American  teachers.  In  coming  to 
Manitoba,  I  should  have  remembered  that  I  was  in  a  foreign 
land  and  under  another  flag,  but  the  fact  is,  Mr.  Chairman, 
that  when  I  came  among  you  I  met  with  such  a  cordial  recep- 
tion, being  treated  so  like  a  comrade  and  fellow-teacher, 
and  was  made  to  feel  so  entirely  one  of  your  own  number, 
that  I  quite  forgot  I  was  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land.  So, 
you  see,  Mr.  Chairman  and  friends,  that  you  are  yourselves 
to  blame  for  my  mistake." 

These  are  her  words,  but  I  cannot  hope  to  convey  to  you 
the  sweetness  of  tone  and  courtesy  of  manner  with  which 
they  were  uttered,  and  which  completely  disarmed  her 
would-be-critic  —  the  old  man  —  and  relieved  us  all  from 
a  very  awkward  situation. 

An  extract  from  a  letter  of  Mr.  Mclntyre  of  Winnipeg  is 
also  added: 

I  had  known  Mrs.  Frank  Stuart  Parker  for  some 
years  as  a  charming  hostess,  a  clear  and  incisive  teacher, 
a  graceful  writer  on  a  variety  of  topics,  and  the  wise  coun- 
sellor and  loyal  helpmate  of  the  man  whom  posterity  will 
own  as  the  greatest  educational  reformer  of  his  day.  My 
acquaintance  with  her  as  a  public  speaker  went  back  only 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  45 

to  the  later  years  of  her  life.  She  came  by  invitation  to 
Winnipeg  in  the  autumn  of  1896  to  give  a  series  of  lectures 
on  topics  of  educational  and  social  interest  before  the  Eastern 
Manitoba  Teachers'  Association.  To  many  of  those  to 
whom  she  was  to  speak  the  thought  of  woman  on  the  lecture 
platform  was  new,  and  the  attitude  of  the  audience  was 
directly  critical.  The  speaker's  charm  of  manner  and  her 
easy,  graceful  utterances  at  once  arrested  attention  and  won 
the  listeners,  and  before  the  close  of  the  first  lecture  even  the 
most  reluctant  was  led  captive  and  owned  her  power.  Such 
was  the  appreciation  of  Mrs.  Parker's  work  that  a  demand 
went  up  from  the  teachers  throughout  the  Province  that,  if 
possible,  her  services  be  obtained  for  a  longer  period  and  a 
more  extended  field  next  year.  In  1897,  therefore,  Mrs. 
Parker  spent  upwards  of  a  month  in  Manitoba,  lecturing 
five  days  per  week  to  audiences  of  teachers,  and  frequently 
to  the  general  public  in  the  evenings.  Her  reception  on 
every  occasion  was  most  enthusiastic  and  the  impression  she 
created  permanent.  No  speaker  that  ever  visited  the  Prov- 
ince influenced  her  audiences  more  profoundly,  and  none 
ever  went  from  it  who  left  behind  so  many  admirers  and  so 
many  warm  personal  friends. 

The  secret  of  Mrs.  Parker 's  power  as  a  speaker  lay  in  no 
one  quality,  but  was  rather  to  be  found  in  the  variety  of  her 
endowments  and  accomplishments.  To  a  charming  manner 
and  graceful  personality  she  added  clear  and  fluent  speech, 
vivid  imagination,  a  keen  sense  of  humor,  the  sympathetic 
insight  that  put  her  at  once  in  touch  with  her  hearers,  skill 
in  marshalling  and  arranging  her  arguments  and  an  earnest- 
ness and  sincerity  that  compelled  conviction. 

Underlying  all  were  the  lofty  ideal  and  the  resolute  pur- 
pose of  a  true  woman,  whose  belief  it  was  that  the  world 
should  be  better  because  she  had  lived,  and  that  the  gifts 
committed  to  her  should  not  be  trifled  away  in  the  frivolous 
round  of  social  life,  but  should  be  employed  for  the  service 
of  mankind. 

The  steadfastness  with  which  she  pursued  this  aim  and 
the  testimony  of  multitudes  who  acknowledge  their  indebt- 


46  FRANCES   STUART  PARKER 

edness  to  her  for  inspiration  and  ideals  establish  Mrs.  Par- 
ker's title  to  a  foremost  place  among  leaders  of  American 
women  of  the  igth  Century. 

Miss  Myra  Pollard  writes  of  Mrs.  Parker's  personality 
in  connection  with  her  work  in  the  Illinois  State  Association 
of  Elocutionists: 

Mrs.  Parker  was  one  of  those  rare  characters  who,  as 
teacher,  social  leader,  artist,  lecturer,  or  friend,  exceeded  the 
demands  of  every  office  undertaken,  gracing  it  with  the  pecu- 
liar charm  of  her  own  character  and  originality. 

This  originality,  this  seeing  of  things  in  a  new,  fresh  light, 
was,  indeed,  one  of  Mrs.  Parker's  strongest  traits. 

In  the  class-room  she  was  not  an  ordinary  didactic  in- 
structor, but  an  inspiration.  In  her  lectures,  the  usual 
formality  of  the  platform  was  superseded  by  the  freedom  and 
unconsciousness  of  spontaneous  expression.  As  artist  and 
interpreter,  while  conforming  to  the  established  canons  of 
art,  every  conception  was  tinged  with  the  light  of  her  own 
personality. 

Reform  in  dress,  with  her,  ceased  to  be  a  fad  and  assumed 
something  of  the  dignity  of  a  science,  and  had  always  the 
grace  of  an  art,  for  she  perfectly  illustrated  her  own  ideals. 

Any  one  who  ever  met  Mrs.  Parker  as  hostess,  especially 
in  an  informal  way,  saw  the  acme  of  social  spontaneity  and 
graciousness.  No  one  could  meet  her  as  an  acquaintance 
without  longing  to  know  her  as  a  friend,  and  her  every  friend 
desired  to  be  her  intimate  associate. 

Those  of  us  who  were  privileged  to  know  her  in  this  asso- 
ciation, knew  her  also  as  hostess  and  friend,  as  well  as  an  ever 
loyal  and  enthusiastic  professional  comrade,  and  we  loved 
her  in  each  and  every  capacity. 

Missing  her  presence  now  as  we  do,  it  is  nevertheless 
difficult  to  associate  regrets  with  that  sweet,  bright,  rare 
nature,  whose  very  essence  was  light  and  strength. 

Mrs.  Parker  was  the  first  to  introduce  in  Chicago, 
and  in  the  West  generally,  the  genuine  philosophy  of  Del- 
sarte's  teachings  and  methods.  I  had  the  good  fortune  to 
be  one  of  her  early  pupils,  and  I  feel  that  I  owe  much  to 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  47 

her  inspiring  instruction.  She  filled  her  pupils  with  a  love 
of  better  expression  for  Art's  own  sake.  Her  work  did 
much  to  modify  and  improve  the  methods  of  elocutionary 
instruction  in  the  West,  and  her  labor  of  love  in  her  chosen 
calling  has  left  an  enduring  impression  upon  the  present 
age.  Of  her  life  and  its  noble  work  it  may  be  fittingly  said, 

"  Our  echoes  roll  from  soul  to  soul, 
And  grow  forever  and  forever." 

She  believed  that  an  artist  whose  soul  was  in  his  work 
would  find  in  the  hereafter  a  far  wider  scope  for  its  develop- 
ment. She  told  me  once  that  she  "expected  to  teach  elocution 
in  the  next  world."  And  why  may  we  not  have  a  like  faith 
for  her  ?  We  can  but  wonder  why  she,  whose  life  here  meant 
so  much  to  her  family  and  to  the  large  circle  of  friends  who 
knew  and  appreciated  her,  should  be  called  away  from  all 
this,  at  the  zenith  of  her  usefulness.  But  as  I  stood  beside 
the  open  casket  which  held  the  frail  body  that  had  enshrined 
her  strong,  bright  spirit,  and  missed  the  smiling  welcome  that 
had  ever  before  been  wont  to  greet  me  when  I  met  her,  was 
it  all  a  fancy  that  through  the  silence,  even  of  Death  itself, 
there  stole  to  my  ear  a  calm,  sweet  whisper,  saying,  "She 
has  but  gone  on  to  do  grander  work  beyond,  and  to  perfect 
ideals  as  only  the  disembodied  spirit  can  do,  when  quite  set 
free  from  the  trammels  of  the  earth-life"? 

It  has  been  said  of  her  by  an  ardent  admirer  of  her  labors, 
"She  was  a  potent  force  in  the  struggle  for  higher  ideals  in 
American  education  and  American  life."  She  was  pos- 
sessed of  a  remarkable  power  of  discrimination ;  she  dissected 
the  fallacious  reasonings  and  teachings  of  some  members  of 
her  profession  with  unanswerable  logic;  and  yet  her  criticisms, 
while  keen,  were  always  kind,  and  she  was  ever  generous 
in  her  estimate  of  her  fellow-workers  and  their  efforts. 

She  believed  in  organization  in  all  lines  of  art  and  learn- 
ing, and  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Illinois  Association 
of  Elocutionists,  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  entertained 
the  monthly  meeting  of  this  association  in  her  own  home. 
She  was  a  royal  hostess,  and  those  who  were  privileged  to 


48         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

enjoy  these  occasions  will  always  fondly  cherish  the  bright 
memory  of  the  feast  of  reason  and  flow  of  soul  which  char- 
acterized these  meetings  in  Mrs.  Parker's  home. 

She  was  of  a  broad,  catholic  spirit,  and  scorned  all  petty 
jealousies  and  bickerings  in  the  profession.  Her  books  on 
"Dress  Reform"  and  "  Order  of  Exercises"  have  done  much 
to  do  away  with  the  old  and  injurious  methods  of  dress,  and 
to  break  up  false  styles  of  action  and  vocal  expression. 

The  news  of  her  death  cast  a  gloom  over  the  profession 
in  Chicago  and  the  West,  where  she  had  won  so  many  hearts, 
and  her  loss  was  especially  and  deeply  felt  by  the  Illinois 
State  Association,  of  which  she  had  been  such  a  valued  and 
esteemed  member. 

Thus  another  great  soul  has  gone  on  to 

"join  the  choir  invisible 
Of  those  immortal  dead  who  live  again 
In  minds  made  better  by  their  presence." 

So  shall  she  continue  to  live  in  our  hearts  and  memories, 
inspiring  us  ever  to  more  earnest  endeavor,  and  ever  urging 
us  on  to  loftier  achievement,  until  at  last  for  us,  also, 
shall  dawn  the  eternal  morning. 


OLD   CHICAGO   NORMAL   SCHOOL 


THE  CHICAGO  NORMAL  SCHOOL 

WILBUR  S.  JACKMAN 

In  the  work  of  the  Cook  County  Normal  School  no 
topic  occupied  a  larger  share  of  the  attention  of  the  teachers 
than  the  subject  of  "Correlation."  There  was  a  per- 
sistent and  systematic  attempt  to  work  out  an  organic 
arrangement  of  the  parts  of  the  curriculum,  so  that  the 
studies  composing  it  should  be  mutually  reinforced  and 
helpful.  This  external  result  was  sought  through  a  care- 
ful attempt  to  supply  the  needs  of  each  pupil  with  the  nutri- 
tive material  demanded  by  his  growth.  Colonel  Parker 
said  many  times  that  he  derived  his  earliest  ideas  upon 
this  important  subject  from  a  study  of  the  work  of  Mrs. 
Parker  in  Delsartean  expression.  While  the  school  as  a 
whole  was  given  over  mainly  to  the  gathering  of  material 
and  to  its  presentation,  Mrs.  Parker's  influence  was  always 
immensely  strong  on  the  side  of  natural  and  full  expression. 
By  this  means,  she  was  perpetually  bringing  to  the  surface 
and  sharpening  into  definite  outline  the  vague  and  half- 
formed  ideas  that  often  lay  in  the  minds  of  both  pupils  and 
colleagues. 

From  her  intense  interest  in  the  life  of  the  whole  school, 
it  was  inevitable  that  her  idea  of  expression  should  lead 
at  once  to  the  notion  of  helpfulness,  which  to  her  mind 
was  the  final  motive  for  all  expression.  This  end  Mrs. 
Parker  labored  incessantly  to  achieve.  To  do  this,  she 
hesitated  at  no  task,  no  matter  how  much  physical  or 
mental  effort  it  might  involve.  I  well  remember  the  pro- 
digious amount  of  physical  work  she  performed,  the  first 
year  I  became  connected  with  the  school,  in  trying  to  pro- 
vide for  all  the  school  materials  a  definite  place  in  the  old 
ramshackle  building.  Mrs.  Parker  stood  strongly  for  neat- 
ness, cleanliness,  order,  promptness,  and  system  in  the 
school.  There  were  but  few  faculty  meetings  when  hi  some 
way  she  did  not  bring  before  the  teachers  her  ideas  upon 


50         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

these  points,  which  she  considered  fundamental  in  educa- 
tion. As  a  practical  illustration  of  her  attitude  and  spirit 
in  such  matters,  it  is  but  necessary  to  cite  the  building  up 
of  the  newspaper  file  in  the  library,  where  one  could  easily 
find  fairly  wide  newspaper  treatment  of  almost  any  topic 
that  arose  in  the  work  with  the  pupils.  This  afterwards 
expanded  into  the  picture  collection,  which,  arranged  in 
sets,  was  in  constant  use  by  the  teachers  of  practically 
every  subject  taught  in  the  school. 

Her  insight,  as  well  as  her  cultivated  habits  of  studying 
the  relations  of  things,  made  the  services  of  Mrs.  Parker 
of  inestimable  value  in  the  support  of  the  school  as  a  whole 
against  its  numerous  and  insidious  foes.  Constantly  alert 
to  the  points  in  the  school  that  were  likely  to  invite  criti- 
cism, and  keen  to  divine  the  source  from  which  the  attacks 
might  be  expected,  her  courage  to  defend  what  her  insight 
led  her  to  believe  was  right  was  more  than  once  an  impor- 
tant factor  in  carrying  the  school  over  the  shoals  of  politi- 
cal troubles. 

But  the  influence  of  Mrs.  Parker  was  not  confined  by 
any  means  to  administrative  and  political  matters.  Her 
insight  and  skill  as  a  teacher  gave  her  an  influence  in  the 
class-room  that  was  marked  and  wholesome,  as  the  follow- 
ing tribute  from  the  pen  of  Mrs.  Ellen  R.  Jackman,  one  of 
her  pupils  and  a  graduate  of  the  Cook  County  Normal  School, 
will  show: 

It  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  closely  associated  with 
Mrs.  Parker  for  ten  years,  and  thus  to  have  favorable 
opportunity  of  estimating  her  influence  upon  the  training 
classes  of  the  Cook  County  Normal  School,  and  upon  others 
who  came  hi  contact  with  her.  She  was  a  woman  of  cult- 
ure, charm,  and  rare  tact.  With  a  clear  knowledge  of  the 
underlying  principles  of  her  own  chosen  field,  broadened  by 
her  association  with  Colonel  Parker  in  his  pioneer  work,  she 
was  able  to  bring  to  the  classes,  which  she  so  long  taught, 
an  insight,  a  power  of  analysis,  a  skill  in  dealing  with  long- 
standing defects,  that  won  the  confidence  and  respect  of  her 
students. 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  51 

Mrs.  Parker's  love  of  teaching  was  shown  in  her  study 
of  the  needs  of  the  individual  without  regard  to  social  posi- 
tion or  intellectual  gifts.  A  defect  in  speech,  in  the  carriage 
of  the  body,  any  weakness  which  was  the  result  of  poor  in- 
struction or  a  lack  of  instruction,  appealed  strongly  to  her. 
The  work  begun  in  her  classes  was  frequently  continued  in 
her  home  in  private  lessons. 

Free  from  conventional  thought  herself,  she  did  not 
hesitate  to  lay  bare  the  weak  spot  in  her  pupil.  She  sug- 
gested the  remedy  and  with  generous  liberality  gave  of  her 
time  and  strength,  many  times  without  recompense,  in 
assisting  the  student  to  overcome  defects. 

Mrs.  Parker  realized  the  relation  of  women's  dress  to 
health  and  to  freedom  of  the  body  and  mind,  and  interested 
large  numbers  of  teachers  in  a  study  of  art  as  applied  to 
dress  improvement.  Constantly  experimenting  in  this 
difficult  field,  she  unhesitatingly  gave  the  results  to  any 
who  might  wish  to  profit  by  them. 

Her  gracious  influence  was  felt  by  the  students  and 
others  in  her  own  home,  where  they  often  gathered  to 
study  her  collection  of  photographs  or  to  enjoy  readings 
from  her  favorite  authors.  Many  of  the  students  owe  their 
love  of  Browning  to  her  readings,  especially  of  "Prospice," 
"Abt  Vogler,"  and  "Andrea  del  Sarto." 

In  the  list  of  talented  and  faithful  women  who  have 
taught  in  the  old  Cook  County  Normal  School,  and  as  a 
worker  in  all  good  causes  for  the  advancement  of  women, 
Mrs.  Parker  must  rank  amongst  the  first. 

Mrs.  Parker's  power  as  a  teacher  before  a  class,  on  occa- 
sion, easily  expanded  to  that  of  an  effective  platform  speaker 
before  a  general  audience.  Her  ability  in  this  direction  is 
well  set  forth  in  the  following  tribute  from  Principal  W.  A. 
Mclntyre,  of  the  Winnipeg  Normal  School : 

It  would  be  impossible  to  state  the  value  of  the  ser- 
vice rendered  to  education  by  Mrs.  Frances  Stuart  Parker 
during  her  visits  to  this  Province  in  1896  and  1897.  She 
came  to  us  comparatively  unknown,  but  there  is  now  in 
the  hearts  of  hundreds  of  our  people  a  gracious  memory 


U.OFIU..UC. 


52         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

of  one  who  was  recognized  as  a  scholar,  a  teacher,  and  a 
woman  of  the  highest  culture.  She  appeared  before  the 
students  of  the  Normal  School  and  illustrated  that  art  of 
which  she  was  such  a  noble  exponent — the  art  of  free  and 
forcible  expression;  she  attended  the  various  teachers'  con- 
ventions in  the  Province,  and,  by  her  addresses  and  her  life, 
became  an  inspiration  to  those  in  charge  of  schools;  she 
lectured  at  public  gatherings  in  our  cities  and  towns,  and 
assisted  in  creating  a  sentiment  in  favor  of  more  liberal  and 
rational  education.  Those  who  were  fortunate  enough  to 
meet  her,  or  hear  her  on  the  platform,  will  remember  her  as 
one  who  had  drunk  deeply  at  the  springs  of  knowledge. 
She  was  widely  and  profoundly  read,  especially  in  all  that 
pertained  to  education;  and  there  seemed  to  be  little  that 
was  beautiful  or  of  permanent  worth  in  literature  that  she 
had  not  read  and  assimilated.  She  will  be  remembered, 
too,  as  a  teacher  and  as  a  woman.  Her  enthusiasm,  her 
perfect  example,  her  skill  in  dealing  with  difficulties,  her  art 
in  illustrating  the  principles  of  teaching,  will  make  her  still  a 
living  pattern  to  those  before  whom  she  appeared ;  her  gen- 
erous sympathy  for  childhood,  her  unselfish  zeal,  her  devo- 
tion to  the  highest  and  best  in  life,  make  her  still  a  guide 
to  those  intrusted  with  the  care  of  children. 

Mrs.  Parker  combined  many  qualities  which  were  neces- 
sary to  meet  successfully  the  responsibilities  of  her  position 
in  the  school  and  before  the  public.  Tact,  energy,  and 
courage  were  so  combined  in  her  character  as  to  give  her 
great  personal  power  in  the  many  undertakings  with  which 
she  became  identified. 

As  a  persistent  worker,  a  fine  teacher,  a  cultivated 
woman,  and  as  an  intelligent  and  intrepid  defender  of  the 
work  of  the  school,  Mrs.  Parker  will  always  live  in  the  mem- 
ory of  her  associates  and  friends. 


INTEREST  IN  CLUB  LIFE 

Mrs.  Parker  derived  much  pleasure  from  her  interest  in 
various  clubs  and  organizations  of  women.  She  assisted 
and  encouraged  their  work  in  every  possible  way;  and  at 
the  same  time  they  were  a  constant  source  of  enjoyment 
and  inspiration  to  her.  Their  appreciation  of  her  work 
with  them  is  both  earnest  and  sincere. 

THE   FORTNIGHTLY   CLUB   OF   CHICAGO 

As  a  member  of  "The  Fortnightly"  of  Chicago,  a  liter- 
ary club,  which  stands  for  all  that  is  highest  and  best  in 
social  and  intellectual  culture;  a  club  which  numbers  among 
its  membership  a  larger  proportion  of  women  who  have  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  the  world  of  literature,  art,  and 
science  than  any  other  literary  club  in  the  United  States, 
Mrs.  Parker  held  a  high  and  abiding  place  in  the  esteem 
and  love  of  its  members.  Personally,  she  was  one  who 
would  attract  attention  in  any  company  for  the  beauty  of 
her  face  and  form,  for  her  exquisite,  though  entirely  unob- 
trusive, art  in  dress,  and  for  that  subtle  something  in  per- 
sonality which  attests  an  all-pervasive  culture  of  mind  and 
heart.  Possessing  in  a  marked  degree  that  quality  of 
womanhood  which  Shakespeare  calls  "the  girdle  of  self- 
restraint,"  she  impressed  some,  on  first  acquaintance  with* 
a  quality  of  "aloofness"  which  caused  one  to  remark  of  her 
that  "she  was  a  little  aristocrat  from  the  crown  of  her  head 
to  the  soles  of  her  feet."  But  even  a  short  acquaintance 
brought  to  light  the  qualities  of  kindliness  of  heart,  interest 
in  others,  a  readiness  to  do  her  part  in  every  kind  of  asso- 
ciated work,  and  a  forgetfulness  of  self  that  inspired  affec- 
tion, as  well  as  respect.  She  was  one  of  those  to  whom  any 
member  of  the  Fortnightly  might  introduce  a  guest  with 
the  full  assurance  that  the  guest  would  receive  from  her 
courteous  attention  and  kindly  interest.  She  was,  also, 


54         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

one  to  whom  all  could  turn  in  an  emergency  to  help  out 
in  a  program,  to  start  the  agreeable  discussion,  or  to  fur- 
nish variety  in  thought  and  expression  on  any  subject  that 
might  be  mentioned. 

During  her  membership  in  the  Fortnightly,  she  pre- 
sented, at  different  times,  four  notable  papers  or  addresses. 
Her  gift  of  extemporaneous  speaking  caused  her  to  be  in- 
dependent to  an  unusual  degree  of  her  manuscript  or  notes. 
Her  first  address  was  on  Emerson,  and  it  was  given  wholly 
without  notes;  her  familiarity  with  her  subject  and  with 
Emerson's  writings  enabling  her  to  present  a  treasury  of 
things  new  and  old  from  the  "  Sage  of  Concord."  Her 
second  address,  also  extemporaneous,  was  on  Delsarte, 
and  his  system  of  expression.  It  is  needless  to  say  that, 
as  she  was  so  admirable  an  exponent  of  his  system,  she  won 
the  heads,  as  well  as  the  hearts,  of  many  who  had  deep  and 
well-founded  prejudices  against  the  work  of  the  ordinary 
elocutionist.  Her  third  address  was  an  interpretative  ren- 
dering of  Browning's  "The  Ring  and  the  Book,"  in  which 
her  scholarly  and  sympathetic  insight  into  the  mind  and 
heart  of  the  poet  enabled  her  to  reveal  new  beauties  of 
thought  and  expression,  even  to  the  best  students  of  Brown- 
ing. Her  fourth  paper  was  on  the  subject  which,  after 
all,  lay  nearest  her  heart,  and  to  which  she  had  devoted 
the  best  energies  of  life,  "Democracy  and  Education." 
Of  her  life-work  in  this  line,  others  will  tell  the  story.  Suf- 
fice it  to  say  that  this  paper  was  an  impassioned  and  elo- 
quent plea  for  giving  the  best  education  has  to  give  to  the 
children  of  the  public  schools.  She  said,  in  effect,  that  the 
highest  interests  of  our  country  demanded  that  the  children 
of  the  public  schools,  and  especially  of  the  laboring  classes, 
should  be  given  instruction  in  Art,  in  Music,  in  Literature, 
in  the  Art  of  Expression,  to  the  end  that  there  might  be  im- 
planted within  them  those  aesthetic  tastes  which,  while  they 
might  not  tend  directly  to  fitting  them  to  earn  a  material 
living,  would,  nevertheless,  make  their  lives  better  worth 
living,  because  of  their  having  awakened  in  them  the  sense 
of  beauty  and  susceptibility  to  spiritual  riches. 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  55 

It  was  with  the  most  heartfelt  sense  of  loss  that  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Fortnightly  heard  of  the  death  of  Mrs.  Parker. 
Along  with  the  beautiful  floral  tribute  of  palms  and  white 
lilies  sent  by  them  was  a  card  bearing  the  following  in- 
scription : 

"With  palms  for  victory  and  flowers  to  speak  of  love 
and  beauty,  the  Fortnightly  would  symbolize  a  loss  which 
will  be  a  permanent  one  in  their  midst.  The  qualities 
of  genius,  of  cheerfulness,  of  readiness,  of  helpfulness,  of 
participation,  which  met  in  Mrs.  Parker,  were  a  stimulus 
to  all  the  society  most  wishes  to  perpetuate." 

HELEN  E.  STARRETT. 

CHICAGO  WOMAN'S  CLUB 

Frances  Stuart  Parker  became  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Woman's  Club  in  1891,  and  she  remained  a  member  as 
long  as  she  lived.  Naturally,  she  entered  the  Educational 
Department. 

Mrs.  Parker  at  once  took  rank  among  her  associates 
as  a  woman  of  force,  originality,  and  exceptional  powers 
of  expression.  There  was  a  charm  in  her  presence,  in  her 
voice,  her  manner,  her  artistic,  independent  dress.  From 
the  first  these  outward  manifestations  of  her  personality 
attracted  us  all.  As  time  passed,  and  as  we  became  ac- 
quainted with  the  mind  and  heart  that  inspired  our  fellow- 
worker,  we  became  admirers  of  the  unseen  reality  and 
thought  less  of  the  outward  image.  Mrs.  Parker  became 
a  power,  influencing  the  entire  Club  for  good. 

I  remember  that  at  first,  when  Mrs.  Parker  took  part 
in  the  Club  discussions  and  programs,  I  used  to  listen,  de- 
lightedly, to  her  beautiful  voice,  not  attending  closely  to 
what  she  said.  After  a  time  I  shook  off  the  spell  of  her 
musical  tones,  for  I  had  found  that  the  velvet  voice  always 
expressed  something  well  worth  hearing.  In  the  same 
way,  as  I  came  to  know  her  better,  I  ceased  to  look  too 
intently  at  Mrs.  Parker's  face,  alight  with  thought  and  en- 
thusiasm, or  to  take  note  of  her  quaint  and  characteristic 
costumes  of  grey,  violet,  or  brown,  made  in  some  artistic 


S6         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

fashion  quite  remote  from  the  prevailing  mode.  I  became 
absorbed  in  the  ideas  she  presented  whenever  she  spoke, 
and  to  my  own  benefit.  In  some  such  fashion,  I  believe, 
Mrs.  Parker  grew  upon  all  the  Club  members.  A  most 
delightful  fashion  it  was,  and  few  there  be  who  are  fortu- 
nate enough  to  be  able  to  adopt  it. 

Of  course,  Mrs.  Parker's  influence  was  exerted  mainly 
for  the  cause  which  is  called  "the  new  education."  Always 
she  spoke  and  wrote  and  worked  for  the  ideas  and  ideals 
to  which  she  and  Colonel  Parker  had  devoted  their  lives. 
She  became  chairman  of  the  Educational  Department  of  the 
Club,  and  while  in  that  position  she  gained  many  helpers 
for  the  objects  so  dear  to  her. 

The  influence  of  Mrs.  Parker's  work  remains  —  endur- 
ing, excellent,  and  growing  —  though  the  worker  herself  has 
gone  from  us.  ADA  C.  SWEET. 

ASSOCIATION   FOR  THE   ADVANCEMENT   OF   WOMEN 

Mrs.  Parker  was  a  beloved  and  valued  officer  of  the 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Women,  "A.  A.  W." 
She  was  for  several  years  chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Topics  and  Papers,  in  which  her  services  are  remembered 
with  gratitude.  She  was  much  interested  in  dress  reform, 
and  was  an  expert  in  the  invention  of  tasteful  and  symmetrical 
garments.  These  were  further  commended  by  the  grace 
with  which  she  wore  them.  She  also  shared  her  husband's 
enthusiasm  in  the  cause  of  popular  education,  and  was  very 
happy  in  the  success  which  has  given  Col.  Parker  a  place 
among  the  most  distinguished  educators  of  the  land.  She 
leaves  two  daughters  to  mourn  her  loss,  and  a  large  circle  of 
friends  and  fellow- workers  who  must  sympathize  deeply  in 
the  family  sorrow. 

It  was  a  sad  day  for  us,  members  of  the  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Women,  when  we  learned  that  our  dear 
friend,  Mrs.  Frank  Stuart  Parker,  would  meet  with  us  on 
earth  no  more. 

I  remember  well  her  first  appearance  at,  I  think,  our 
second  Congress  in  Buffalo.  I  remarked  at  once  her  bright 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  57 

countenance  and  tasteful  attire.  The  theme  of  her  dis- 
course was  some  aspect  of  Dress  Reform,  a  topic  which  could 
not  have  had  a  better  exemplification  than  that  offered  by 
her  own  costume.  Her  aspect  at  that  time  was  so  youthful 
that  I  regarded  her  as  a  young  girl,  and  was  surprised  to 
learn  that  she  was  a  wife  and  mother.  A  nearer  acquaint- 
ance with  her  only  deepened  the  pleasant  impression  already 
made.  We  were  glad  to  count  her  among  our  frequent 
speakers,  and  in  process  of  time  appointed  her  to  the 
responsible  post  of  Chairman  of  our  Committee  of  Topics 
and  Papers.  She  occupied  this  position  until  the  time  of  her 
death,  and  her  services  were  highly  esteemed  by  us. 

The  charming  harmony  of  Mrs.  Parker's  dress,  her  well- 
modulated  voice  and  pleasing  address,  made  her  a  promi- 
nent figure  in  the  public  meetings  of  our  Association.  Her 
devotion  to  family  relations  sometimes  deprived  us  of  her 
presence,  but  did  not  interfere  with  her  aid  and  interest  in 
our  work.  She  was  with  us  at  a  Congress  held  at  Knoxville, 
Tennessee,  of  which  I  cannot  give  the  precise  date.  This 
was  one  of  our  pleasantest  occasions. 

I  am  glad  to  remember  her  as  one  of  its  brightest  orna- 
ments. We  were  saddened  and  surprised  to  hear  somewhat 
later  of  her  failing  health.  I  received  a  charming  letter  from 
her  on  her  return  from  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  had  every 
hope  of  seeing  her  soon  in  person.  The  next  news  that  I 
had  of  her  was  of  the  end  of  her  valuable  lif  e. 

I  may  say  that,  for  all  of  us,  her  fellow- workers,  the  sense 
of  our  own  loss  was  deepened  by  our  feeling  of  the  great 
sorrow  fallen  upon  her  family,  and  especially  upon  her  hus- 
band, whose  noble  efforts  in  behalf  of  education  were  bright- 
ened by  her  intelligent  and  loving  sympathy. 

At  my  request,  the  treasurer  of  the  Association,  Mrs. 
H.  L.  T.  Wolcott,  has  written  me  a  letter,  from  which  I 
extract  the  following  paragraphs : 

Mrs.  Parker  became  interested  in  the  Dress  Reform 
movement  which  was  started  in  the  New  England  Woman 's 
Club,  of  Boston.  The  movement  appealed  to  her  own  artistic 
sense.  She  occupied  some  years  in  the  elaboration  of  a 


58         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

better  style  of  dress  for  woman  than  the  one  in  vogue.  She 
resided  at  this  time  in  Chicago,  where  she  found  it  difficult 
to  induce  any  dressmaker  to  venture  on  a  departure  which 
then  appeared  of  so  radical  a  nature.  To  this  endeavor  she 
gave  thought  and  work  to  interest  all  women  with  whom 
she  came  in  contact. 

To-day,  when  we  see  the  "Empire"  gowns  displayed  in 
the  shop  windows,  I  cannot  refrain  from  saying  to  myself, 
"Why  did  not  Mrs.  Parker  live  to  see  herself  in  high  posi- 
tion in  her  style  of  frocks?  " 

Her  personality  was  most  charming  —  wherever  she 
went  and  spoke  she  was  heard  with  delight.  In  her  home, 
as  wife  and  mother,  she  was  exemplary,  bearing  most  cour- 
ageously the  weight  of  her  husband's  trials.  I  am  not  yet 
reconciled  to  her  untimely  death.  She  should  have  seen  her 
victory  —  perhaps  she  does!  JULIA  WARD  HOWE. 

SOCIETY   FOR   THE   PROMOTION   OF   CORRECT   DRESS 

Mrs  Parker's  work  for  Dress  Reform,  in  Chicago,  to 
which  Mrs.  Wolcott  refers,  was  done  in  connection  with  the 
Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Correct  Dress. 

Mrs.  Parker  was  one  of  its  charter  members,  and,  as  long 
as  her  strength  lasted,  one  of  its  most  active  members. 

During  the  Exposition  of  1893  the  Society  main- 
tained an  exhibit  in  the  Woman's  Building,  but,  except 
for  Mrs.  Parker's  enthusiasm  and  indomitable  persever- 
ance, this  effort,  which  has  now  taken  place  in  the  history 
of  reform  in  dress,  could  never  have  been  accomplished. 

Eager  as  the  Society  was  to  embrace  every  opportunity 
of  helping  other  women  who  were  struggling  to  free  them- 
selves from  the  conventions  of  dress,  the  members  were  timid 
about  exhibiting  their  too  slight  and  crude  efforts. 

To  this  timidity  Mrs.  Parker  had  but  one  answer:  "If  we 
are  ashamed  to  own  our  crude  beginnings,  we  shall  never  be 
able  to  develop  the  finished  product." 

This  thought  finally  became  the  watchword  of  the 
Society,  and  prevailed  over  their  desire  to  give  out  nothing 
that  could  be  regarded  as  only  tentative. 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  59 

During  the  six  months  of  the  Exposition  the  exhibit  was 
visited  by  thousands  of  men  and  women,  —  and,  if  one  may 
judge  from  the  record  of  the  "Visitors'  Book,"  it  met  with 
their  cordial  approval.  It  certainly  gave  courage  to  many 
women  struggling  alone  to  overcome  the  obstacles  which, 
more  than  nature's  design,  man's  prejudice,  or  all  other 
causes  combined,  are  keeping  woman  on  a  lower  plane,  phys- 
ically and  mentally.  That  the  effort  was  not  without  avail 
is  evidenced  in  the  letters  which  even  now,  after  the  lapse 
of  years,  are  coming  to  the  members  of  the  Society,  telling 
of  help  received  and  asking  for  the  latest  word  of  advice. 

It  may  not  be  unwarrantable,  either,  to  assume  that  the 
present  forward  movement  in  dress  reform  in  Germany, 
which  has  outstripped  in  point  of  converts  and  influence 
anything  ever  accomplished  in  this  country,  owes  much  to 
theories  and  practical  illustration  received  during  those 
months. 

Mrs.  Parker 's  work  for  her  day  and  generation  will  never 
be  underestimated  by  those  who  appreciate  the  overwhelm- 
ing importance  to  woman  and  the  race,  of  emancipation 
from  her  bondage  as  "Fashion's  Slave." 

ANNIE  WHITE  JOHNSON. 

ENGLEWOOD  WOMAN'S  CLUB 

Contrary  to  the  history  of  most  clubs,  the  Englewood 
Woman 's  Club  was  not  a  gradual  growth.  It  began  its  first 
year  with  a  membership  of  about  three  hundred. 

To  organize  so  large  a  body  of  women  into  one  harmo- 
nious, working  whole  was  not  an  easy  matter.  Diverse 
opinions  had  to  be  harmonized,  compromises  had  to  be 
made,  and  oftentimes  cherished  ambitions  had  to  be  laid 
aside.  All  this  required  much  tact  on  the  part  of  the 
leader. 

To  those  interested  in  the  beginning  of  the  movement, 
Mrs.  Parker  seemed  to  be  peculiarly  fitted  to  guide  the  Club 
through  this  trying  period  of  organization  and  initial  work. 
Although  already  generously  giving  her  time  and  ability 
to  many  lines  of  public  work,  Mrs.  Parker  consented  to  act 


60         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

as  president,  and  served  in  that  capacity  during  the  organi- 
zation and  until  the  close  of  the  first  year. 

If  the  success  of  the  year's  work  could  be  analyzed,  it 
would  be  found  to  be  a  result  not  alone  of  the  broad  culture 
and  wide  experience  of  Mrs.  Parker,  but  also  self-control  not 
only  of  words  but  of  voice,  gesture,  attitude  of  body, —  a 
control  so  absolute  that  we  might  almost  question  whether 
to  her  the  occasion  had  been  one  requiring  self-control. 

This  beautiful  poise  of  mind  and  body,  this  perfect  con- 
trol of  the  entire  being,  exemplified  the  truth  in  the  woik 
of  which  she  made  almost  a  life  study.  The  control  of  the 
physical  and  spiritual  was  so  harmonious  that  we  might  say 
of  her,  as  was  said  of  a  great  preacher,  that  she  never  seemed 
to  make  an  effort,  being  equal  to  every  occasion.  Such  is 
the  fruitage  of  long  culture.  The  rose  that  so  easily  opens 
its  perfect  petals  could  not  do  so  without  the  preceding  work 
that  took  place  in  root  and  leaf  and  branch. 

Another  potent  factor  in  Mrs.  Parker's  great  influence 
was  her  ability  not  only  to  see,  but  to  call  out,  the  best  every 
one  had  to  offer.  She  belonged  by  nature  to  the  small  circle 
of  ''chosen  spirits"  whose  mission  is  to  make  even  the  hum- 
blest among  us  realize  something  of  the  divine  in  us. 

ALICE  D.  HOSWELL. 

THE   CHICAGO   POLITICAL   EQUALITY   LEAGUE 

In  May,  1894,  when  it  was  thought  necessary  to  have 
further  organization  for  the  political  enfranchisement  of 
women  than  then  existed  in  Chicago,  Mrs.  Frances  Stuart 
Parker  was  consulted  in  regard  to  starting  the  new  organiza- 
tion in  the  Chicago  Woman's  Club,  and  she  gave  her  enthu- 
siastic and  hearty  support,  speaking  and  working  for  it. 

Mrs.  Parker  became  one  of  the  committee  of  twenty- 
five  members  of  the  Club,  organizing  the  Chicago  Political 
Equality  League  in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1894.  She  was 
a  member  of  the  League's  Board  of  Directors  from  its  forma- 
tion until  her  death. 

While  she  was  always  very  busy  with  other  public  affairs, 
she  could  be  depended  upon  to  help  the  League  in  an  emer- 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  61 

gency,  and  many  times  she  read  papers  and  reports  of  per- 
sons who  could  not  be  present,  giving  them,  by  reason  of  her 
accomplished  oratory,  an  interest  and  force  they  could  not 
have  had  at  the  hands  of  their  writers. 

In  May,  1896,  Mrs.  Parker  was  elected  president  of  the 
League  and  re-elected  in  1897,  holding  the  office  as  long  as 
the  by-laws  permit  one  person  to  hold  it. 

Her  health  had  begun  to  fail  before  her  term  as  president 
expired,  and  her  self-sacrifice  and  devotion  were  shown  in 
many  ways.  I  recall  especially  a  two  days'  meeting  in  the 
Association  Hall  in  November,  1897.  The  meeting  was 
under  the  auspices  of  the  League,  and  several  officers  and 
speakers  of  the  National  Suffrage  Association  were  present, 
and  Mrs.  Parker,  as  president  of  the  League,  was  expected 
to  preside,  and  did  preside. 

No  one  knew  until  the  meeting  was  over,  and  then  only 
accidentally,  that  she  was  ill  and  suffering  intensely  during 
the  entire  two  days.  She  made  no  complaint  and  gave  no 
sign.  And  so  it  was  many  other  times.  She  moved  ahead 
with  her  work,  regardless  of  the  comfort  or  discomfort  to 
herself. 

The  following  letter,  dated  January  5,  1895,  explaining 
her  absence  from  a  meeting,  shows  her  attitude  toward  the 
League : 

My  dear  Miss  Martin, —  The  grip  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons. I  have  been  confined  to  the  house,  now,  nearly  two 
months,  with  it.  I  am  deeply  interested  in  the  Political 
Equality  League,  and  as  soon  as  I  am  able  to  be  out,  shall 
be  with  you  heart  and  soul.  There  is  nothing  that  the 
Woman's  Club  has  taken  up,  of  late,  that  has  interested  me 
so  much,  and  I  will  give  my  best  efforts  to  it  as  soon  as  I  am 
able  to  be  out.  I  was  hoping  to  be  with  you  to-day,  but 
the  weather  is  so  stormy  that  I  do  not  dare  venture.  It  is  my 
misfortune,  and  not  any  lack  of  interest,  that  has  prevented 
my  meeting  with  you. 

I  was  very  glad  that  I  was  placed  on  the  Board  of  Direc- 
tors, and  will  do  double  work  when  I  am  about. 


62         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

The  League's  work  has  never  been  marked  by  striking 
features,  and  it  is  difficult  to  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  work 
done  by  any  one  for  it.  Probably  the  best  statement  of  the 
work  is  that  it  consists  in  breaking  down  prejudice  against 
suffrage  and  suffragists,  and  in  this  Mrs.  Parker  was  most 
efficient.  She  was  earnest  in  her  advocacy,  but  she  knew 
the  time  and  occasion.  The  political  enfranchisement  of 
women  had  no  more  earnest  and  devoted  adherent  than  Mrs. 
Parker.  She  was  a  suffragist  on  broad,  democratic  h'nes. 

Mrs.  Parker  was  a  ready  and  resourceful  presiding  officer 
and  quick  and  direct  in  debate.  The  program  committee 
never  had  any  uneasiness  when  she  was  present,  at  a  public 
meeting,  for  it  knew,  whatever  might  happen,  she  would 
make  it  a  success. 

In  Mrs.  Parker's  death  the  League  lost  one  of  its  most 
helpful,  hopeful,  and  earnest  members.  It  misses  greatly 
her  genial,  strong  spirit.  ELLEN  A.  MARTIN. 


PORTRAIT   OF   MRS.    PARKER   AT   40   YEARS 


EXTRACTS  FROM  MRS.  PARKER'S  LETTERS 
(Written  on  her  Hawaiian  Trip) 

Montana,  June,  1898. 

The  journey  to-day  has  been  a  constant  delight.  We 
have  been  in  the  mountains  all  day.  Five  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  this  morning  over  the  Rockies.  The  field  flowers 
are  most  beautiful.  The  trainmen  get  out  and  gather 
them  in  great  bunches.  The  syringa  and  larkspur  grow 
wild.  Yellow  and  white  daisies,  fireweed,  goldenrod, 
wild  geraniums,  and  in  such  profusion — how  I  wish  you 
could  see  it! 

There  is  a  river  that  we  have  been  beside  all  the  after- 
noon— Kootenai — and  just  now  we  have  passed  the  Koo- 
tenai  Falls.  The  river  narrows  to  a  third,  a  rocky  island 
divides  it  in  the  narrowest  part,  and  the  water  piles  up  fully 
two  feet  higher  at  the  sides  than  in  the  centre.  The  river 
was  the  color  of  milk,  the  queerest  shade  I  ever  saw. 

On  the  Pacific  side  of  the  Rockies  the  pine  woods  are 
very  heavy.  Great,  tall,  mastlike  trees  with  spearlike 
tops.  I  think  they  must  be  yellow  pine. 

Such  stretches  of  country  and  so  few  people!  Hardly 
a  settlement,  and  miles  without  a  house.  Here  and  there 
a  camp,  seven  or  eight  men,  and  "cattle  on  a  dune  and 
hills. "  Great  ranges  for  horses,  cattle,  and  sheep. 

Father  is  positively  beatific.  He  is  studying  the  land- 
scape, looking  through  his  field-glasses,  and  consulting  his 
aneroid  thermometer  to  know  just  how  high  we  are. 

Oh,  this  beautiful  river!  On  the  opposite  side  are  pal- 
isades, the  rocks — slate  and  limestone — standing  out 
from  the  fir  and  pine.  Father  says  the  river  turns  and  goes 
way  up  into  British  Columbia  and  then  comes  back  and 
empties  into  the  Columbia. 

Two  things  have  been  in  my  thoughts  all  day.     I'll 


64         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

give  them  to  you,  as  "last  call  for  the  dining-room"  has 
sounded: 

"  The  hills  rock-ribbed  and  ancient  as  the  sun,  the  vales 
Stretching  in  pensive  quietness  between; 
The  venerable  woods,  rivers  that  move 
In  majesty,  and  the  complaining  brooks 
That  make  the  meadows  green." 

And  Gannett's 

"He  hath  made  the  haunts  of  beauty 

The  home  elect  of  his  grace ; 
He  spreadeth  his  mornings  on  them, 

His  sunsets  light  their  face. 
The  people  of  tired  cities 

Come  up  to  their  shrines  to  pray; 
God  freshens  again  within  them 

As  he  passes  by  all  day." 

British  Columbia. 

We  are  almost  there,  after  a  very  pleasant  ride  of  eight 
hours  from  Seattle,  in  sight  either  of  the  water  or  the  moun- 
tains. The  flowers  are  glorious,  as  they  have  been  all 
along.  The  clover  is  everywhere,  for  there  are  more  settle- 
ments along  this  route  than  on  any  other. 

The  trees  are  being  cut  down  all  along  the  road,  and 
there  are  sawmills  everywhere.  The  large  trees  are  nearly 
gone,  and  we  see  great  stumps,  some  measuring  six  and 
seven  feet  across.  What  giants  they  must  have  been,  and 
what  a  pity  to  cut  them  down!  They  haven't  left  one; 
they  might,  at  least,  have  done  that.  Just  fancy  all  that 
glorious  life  cut  up  into  railroad  ties  and  shingles! 

Honolulu. 

Here  we  are,  dearest,  safe  and  sound,  in  the  Islands; 
and,  oh,  how  I  wish  you  could  be  here!  It  is  hot,  hotter, 
hottest.  But,  oh,  the  flowers!  But,  oh,  the  trees!  I  am 
wild  with  delight.  Great  royal  palms,  hibiscus  hedges,  full 
of  bloom,  bananas  everywhere,  and  cocoanut  palms  full 
of  fruit,  most  gorgeous  umbrella  trees,  the  pepper,  and, 
most  graceful  of  all,  the  feathery  mimosa,  full  of  yellow 
flowers,  coleus,  great  bushes,  and  such  lovely  vines  and 
cactus!  Opposite  the  house  where  we  are  is  an  actual 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  65 

hedge  of  cactus,  or,  rather,  the  night-blooming  cereus,  which 
is  all  ready  to  bloom. 

Just  fancy  it!  The  islands  rise  straight  out  of  the 
water,  and  look  in  the  distance  like  soft,  green  headlands, 
with  houses  clustering  at  the  very  base.  The  town  is  quite 
a  town,  when  one  gets  into  it,  but  looks  very  tiny  as  you 
approach  in  the  steamer. 

The  docks  were  lined  with  American  transports,  war- 
ships, and  monitors ;  one  great  steamer  filled  with  our  boys 
went  slowly  past  us.  We  shouted  "Chicago!"  and  forty 
hats  went  up.  I  tell  you,  at  the  sight  of  the  flag  and  the 
soldiers,  I  broke  down  and  had  a  good  cry.  The  war,  for 
the  first  time,  has  come  straight  home  to  me. 

I  want  you  children  to  see  this  beautiful  place.  In  my 
next  letter  I  will  send  you  some  of  the  flowers.  Oh  for 
Katherine  to  fill  her  hands  full!  Not  Francis  or  Dorothy 
— they  would  eat  them. 

We  had  a  delightful  trip,  take  it  all  in  all.  Only  one 
mishap.  A  sea  broke  in  at  the  porthole  and  completely 
drenched  father,  who  was  under  it.  A  flying-fish  came  on 
board;  we  watched  the  great  gulls;  had  a  Kipling  after-- 
noon  reading,  and  quarrelled  with  two  Englishmen  over 
education  of  the  masses,  by  way  of  variety. 

This  wonderful  place!  I  am  wild  over  it.  The  flowers 
and  the  fruit !  If  it  weren't  for  my  grandchildren,  I'd  never 
go  back. 

Father  and  I  took  the  car — a  mule  bobtail — and  went 
as  far  as  it  goes.  It  staits  way  up  the  valley,  and  goes 
winding  down  through  the  town,  by  the  Chinese  quarters, 
past  the  wharves,  then  to  another  residence  part  of  the  city, 
where  are  beautiful  gardens  and  groves  of  mangoes  and  royal 
palms.  Palms  are  common  as  grass;  they  are  everywhere. 
The  royal  palm  is  very  picturesque  —  and  graceful,  too. 
The  fronds  fall  like  immense  ferns  from  the  summit  of  the 
pillar,  for  a  palm  trunk  is  like  an  Egyptian  column.  Each 
successive  leaf,  as  it  dies  off,  leaves  a  broad  brown  ring, 
like  a  telegraph  pole  bound  with  bands  of  rusty  iron. 


66         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

I  saw  the  tamarind  tree  this  morning,  filled  with  brown 
pods,  nice  and  sour.  It  has  the  habit  of  our  nut  trees, 
round  top,  filled  with  brown  pods  hanging  all  along  the 
ends  of  the  branches. 

The  natives  sit  on  the  sidewalk,  with  their  baskets 
full  of  leis,  or  garlands.  I  had  a  beauty  brought  me 
yesterday — a  pale  yellow  flower,  shaped  like  a  morning- 
glory.  These  were  threaded  on  a  string,  and  then  twined 
among  and  around  was  a  glossy  green  vine,  the  whole  over 
two  feet  long.  You  see  these  wreaths  worn  by  natives 
everywhere,  around  the  neck  or  the  hat.  The  dress  of  the 
native  women  is  a  mother  hubbard,  and  they  go  barefooted. 

You  see  many  Chinese  and  Japs.  I  go  wild  over  the 
solemn  Chinese  baby  with  his  little  skull-cap  and  his  panta- 
lets that  come  to  the  little  bare  heels.  The  Jap  baby  sits 
astride  of  his  mother's  back  and  stares  blankly  at  you  and 
at  the  world. 

The  Chinamen  go  about  with  two  baskets  swung  over 
their  shoulders,  looking  as  if  they  had  just  stepped  out  of 
a  geography  picture. 

We  don't  suffer  with  the  heat  at  all:  we  are  at  the 
mouth  of  a  valley,  and  a  soft,  cool  breeze  blows  down  all 
the  time.  Down  in  the  town  it  is  warmer.  Father  went 
off  this  A.  M.  in  his  new  duck  suit,  as  happy  as  a  lark. 
He  told  Barbara  he  looked  like  a  canvasback  duck  in  them. 
He  had  a  new  pair  of  tan  shoes,  and  no  one  in  the  place 
can  touch  him. 

We  begin  work  next  Monday.  I  have  only  forty  min- 
utes a  day,  so  you  see  I  shall  not  work  hard.  Father 
has  two  periods,  and  Miss  Allen  two.  We  don't  have  to 
work  in  the  afternoon,  for  which  I  am  thankful. 

Doubtless,  the  papers  have  told  you  what  a  great  time 
the  soldier  boys  have  passed  through.  In  two  hours  they 
raised  seven  thousand  dollars  to  entertain  them.  They 
have  great  tables  set  in  the  public  square,  and  everybody 
sends  fruit,  cake,  coffee,  meat,  and  bread. 

The  bar-rooms  would  take  no  money,  nor  barbers,  fruit- 
men,  or  boot-blacks.  The  government  sent  their  letters  free. 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  67 

The  last  detachment  sent  home  twenty  thousand  letters. 
They  had  boxes  up,  marked  "Soldiers'  Letter-box."  Peo- 
ple took  them  to  ride;  the  horse-car  lines  asked  no  fare; 
in  short,  with  the  American  flag  flying  everywhere,  the 
windows  decorated  with  the  red,  white,  and  blue,  Dewey's 
picture  surrounded  by  the  colors,  the  girls  with  flag  pins 
and  the  men  with  flag  buttons,  I  begin  to  feel  quite  at 
home. 

We  have  gone  to  keeping  house,  opposite  the  Spreckels 
palace.  I  am  out  on  my  own  piazza,  looking  at  the  noble 
column  of  royal  palms  which  leads  up  to  his  house.  Judge 
Frear,  whose  wife  is  away,  put  his  house  at  our  disposal. 
We  have  a  parlor,  library,  dining-room,  and  a  bath,  all 
on  one  floor.  We  have  a  Chinese  cook  and  a  Chinese  maid. 

Mrs.  Townsend  sends  us  milk  from  her  own  cow;  the 
neighbors  send  in  fruit ;  and  here  we  are. 

This  morning  the  Institute  opened.  We  have  a  large 
class,  both  natives  and  Hawaiians.  I  gave  a  short  talk,  and 
got  through  bravely. 

Last  Saturday  we  went  to  the  Hawaiian  market.  Such  a 
funny  place !  Open  stalls  and  all  sorts  of  fish,  flesh,  and  fowl 
for  sale.  There  were  piles  of  wee  dressed  fishes  and  queer- 
looking  lobsters,  so  different  from  ours,  crawling  all  over  each 
other;  crabs,  sea-urchins,  live  shrimps,  a  funny  cake  that 
looked  like  brown  bread,  made  of  seaweed,  and  a  queer 
root  they  call  taro;  baked  sweet  potatoes  and  dried  squid; 
bamboo  for  making  hats. 

After  the  market  we  took  a  carriage  and  drove  to  the 
top  of  one  of  the  smaller  mountains  that  rise  almost  ab- 
ruptly behind  the  town.  It  was  a  most  delightful  ride 
back  and  forth,  winding  up,  now  past  a  lateral  crater  that 
looked  like  a  small  green  bowl;  now  over  cinders  and 
volcanic  rock,  covered  by  great  thickets  of  the  lantern, 
which  grows  wild  here;  past  great  cacti  and  patches  of 
an  acacia  that  Mr.  Jackson  cultivated  in  his  greenhouse, 
to  the  very  top,  where  we  caught  a  beautiful  sunset  over 
the  ocean  and  saw  the  surf  and  the  reef  in  the  distance. 


68         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

Oh,  the  blue  of  the  ocean!  I  wish  you  could  see  it,  a  per- 
fect sapphire,  such  color!  It  is  divine. 

This  morning  I  had  a  long  talk  with  Mrs.  Dole,  the 
wife  of  the  President.  We  are  going  there  to  a  reception 
Friday.  She  gave  me  her  fan,  one  of  the  native  ones, 
which  I  shall  keep  for  a  T.  M.  (tender  memory). 

On  our  place  there  are  sixty  kinds  of  fruit.  We  have 
been  looking  about.  A  row  of  bananas,  full  of  great  bunches, 
a  more  delicious  variety  than  we  get;  Chinese  oranges, 
used  for  sherbet;  figs — we  are  to  have  some  for  supper; 
strawberry  guava ;  alligator  pears ;  papia,  a  big  fruit,  shaped 
something  like  a  pear;  cocoanuts;  mangoes;  oranges. 
All  this  we  discovered  before  the  rain,  which  drove  us  in. 
There  is  a  big  flower  garden,  and  ferns  and  foliage  — 
plants  without  end.  There  is  no  use  talking.  You  must 
come  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  these  islands  that  "lift 
their  fronded  palms  in  air";  you  must  see  them. 

Everybody  asleep  or  out.  Father  is  to  lecture  to-night, 
and  I  am,  or  have  been,  resting  on  the  lounge.  This  house 
is  a  perfect  delight.  We  are  so  quiet,  and  the  garden  is  so 
beautiful.  There  are  no  ants,  but,  oh,  the  mosquitos!  They 
literally  swarm,  especially  as  we  are  having  a  very  damp 
season.  It  rains  in  the  funniest  way  here.  Just  a  cloud 
over  the  mountains,  a  drizzle  to  which  no  one  pays  any 
attention,  walking  serenely  through  it,  even  in  white  muslin; 
then  blue  sky  again.  This  it  does  twenty  or  thirty  times  a 
day.  You  are  never  safe  from  it.  I  discovered  a  new 
palm  —  the  Traveller's,  the  one  they  get  water  from  in  the 
desert. 

There  is  a  transport  due  to-morrow,  and  now  I  am  long- 
ing for  a  letter.  I  do  hope  you  have  written  right  along,  so 
I  shall  hear.  It  does  seem  so  far  away. 

"Give  me  an  amulet 
That  keeps  intelligence  with  you!" 

Yesterday  was  one  of  the  most  eventful  of  my  life.  About 
three  o'clock  Father  came  back  and  said  we  would  ride  out 
to  the  beach.  He  went  to  the  telephone  to  order  a  carriage, 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  69 

when  we  heard  something  said  about  annexation.  We 
found  a  steamer  was  coming  in,  all  covered  with  flags,  and 
had  signalled  annexation.  We  drove  to  the  wharf  as  fast 
as  that  horse  could  go.  People  were  pouring  in  the  same 
direction  —  men,  women,  and  children,  on  foot  and  in  car- 
riages. All  at  once  there  was  a  burst  of  music  —  the  Star 
Spangled  Banner;  the  flag  was  unfurled,  and,  oh,  how  every- 
body cheered!  President  Dole  was  just  in  front  of  us,  on 
his  horse.  He  and  Father  shook  hands  and  exchanged 
congratulations.  He  rode  back  and  greeted  me  as  a  fellow- 
citizen.  Then  the  procession  formed,  the  band  leading,  and 
playing  all  our  national  airs.  Flags  appeared  from  every 
quarter;  men  fell  in  behind  the  band ;  carriages  were  covered 
with  flags,  and  with  everybody  cheering,  shaking  hands,  and 
rejoicing,  we  all  went  up  to  the  capitol.  There  were  speeches 
by  those  who  brought  the  news,  and  cheers  for  everybody 
and  everything. 

Then  we  started  for  the  papers  and  mail.  Imagine  our 
delight  on  finding  there  had  been  a  great  victory;  the 
Spanish  fleet  had  been  sunk;  then  letters  from  home,  saying 
there  had  been  another  great  victory  —  that  Father  had 
been  triumphantly  re-elected  and  all  was  well  with  the 
school;  can  you  imagine  a  fuller  day?  I  was  so  tired  with 
happiness  I  couldn't  go  to  sleep. 

Miss  Chisholm  sent  me  about  fifty  cuttings,  some  of  them 
three  columns  long.  So  you  see  how  much  interest  the 
election  has  caused.  Strange  to  say,  there  wasn't  a  paper 
but  was  favorable  and  spoke  of  Father  in  the  highest  terms. 
Mr.  White  preached  a  sermon  on  Sunday  on  Higher  Edu- 
cation, and  in  it  spoke  of  the  work,  what  it  stood  for,  its 
ethical  trend.  When  he  called  Father's  name,  the  whole 
church  broke  into  cheers.  He  then  called  for  a  rising  vote, 
for  those  who  would  stand  for  the  school  and  its  work  and 
would  pledge  themselves  to  either  write  or  see  some  member 
of  the  Board  before  the  election.  Everybody  voted,  and  a 
petition  of  over  seven  hundred  went  from  the  church. 

All  the  Normal  people  went  to  the  Board  meetings,  with 
a  big  white  satin  badge  marked  "Normal"  on  it.  It  was 


70         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

the  best  fight  of  all,  and  called  out  the  best  people  we  have 
ever  had.  They  have  actually  broken  ground  for  the  new 
building. 

Father  is  very  happy,  for  he  feels  this  is  really  the  last 
fight,  and  hopes  to  end  his  days  in  peace  and  comfort  and 
work.  He  also  feels  that  it  was  a  great  victory  for  educa- 
tion, for  it  was  largely  a  move  on  the  part  of  the  politicians 
to  take  possession  of  the  school  for  their  own  purposes,  and 
the  people  called  a  halt. 

I  forgot  to  tell  you  that  last  night  a  great  bonfire  of  tar- 
barrels  and  timber  was  lighted  on  the  hill  above  us,  the 
Punch  Bowl,  to  announce  to  the  other  islands  that  Hawaii 
had  received  the  news  of  annexation. 

We  are  going  to  have  a  big  celebration  next  week,  when 
the  official  news  comes  from  Washington. 

Father  and  I  took  a  lovely  ride  to-day  to  Diamond  Heart. 
It  is  a  volcano  (extinct),  a  great  headland  of  rock,  just 
beginning  to  weather.  At  the  foot  of  the  rock  cluster  the 
lovely  cottages  close  to  the  sea.  There  is  a  reef  about  a 
mile  out  and  a  line  of  breakers  over  which  the  water  comes 
tumbling  in.  The  natives  take  parties  out  hi  their  surf- 
boats.  We  watched  them  waiting  for  a  big  wave.  Up 
would  go  the  bow  of  the  boat,  and  they  would  come  tearing 
in  to  shore,  the  spray  flying  over  them. 

Another  funny  thing  was  to  see  the  Chinese  out  in  the 
water  up  to  their  thin  waists  spearing  for  squid.  We  passed 
a  lot  of  duck  farms,  rice- fields,  and  banana  farms;  but  the 
best  sight  was  a  long  row  of  date  palms,  filled  with  great 
bunches  of  dates,  yellow  and  green.  They  were  all  very 
small  and  hung  in  large  clusters,  like  yellow  beads  strung 
on  flexible  wires.  The  trunk  of  the  date  palm  is  very  pict- 
uresque. As  the  leaves  die  out,  they  cut  them  off,  and  so 
the  trunk  has  a  sort  of  pineapple  pattern  all  up  and  down. 
They  all  seem  carved  and  artificial;  they  are  not  like  trees 
—  they  are  suggestive  of  old  temples  and  ancient  ruins. 

We  went  into  an  ancient  road-house  where  Robert  Louis 
Stevenson  wrote  one  of  his  books ;  a  lovely  place,  with  funny 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  71 

balconies  jutting  out  everywhere,  and  covered  with  banyan 
trees,  and  kept  by  a  most  picturesque  Greek. 

We  also  saw  the  new  park,  which  is  filled  with  date 
palms,  and  is  full  of  lagoons,  filled  with  lotus.  Every- 
where you  turn  there  is  so  much  beauty,  so  much  grandeur. 
As  we  turned  to  go  back,  the  mountains  stood  out  against 
a  background  of  black  clouds ;  then  the  rain  began  to  stream 
down  between  the  valleys,  and  two  beautiful  rainbows 
stretched  across  the  sky.  On  one  side  the  blue  sky  and 
the  blue  ocean,  and  on  the  other  dark  clouds  and  frowning 
mountains. 

I  wish  you  could  have  been  with  us  to  have  seen  the  night- 
blooming  cereus.  It  is  out  now,  and  is  a  beautiful  sight. 
Hundreds  of  great  white  blossoms  filling  the  air  with  fra- 
grance; such  a  wealth  of  beauty,  and  only  for  a  night.  The 
night-blooming  cereus  is  a  cup-like  flower  with  yellow  stems 
and  narrow  white  petals,  and,  when  open,  about  seven  inches 
across.  They  are  so  crowded  in  that  the  stone  wall  is  fairly 
white  with  them.  Then  they  are  so  waxen  and  so  magnifi- 
cent —  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  elegance  to  make  a  banquet  for 
the  moths  and  beetles  that  crowd  their  cups  in  the  morning. 

Did  I  tell  you  that  we  had  a  reception  given  us  last  night 
at  the  high  school?  The  teachers  were  all  there,  and  we 
had  music  and  refreshments.  The  best  thing  was  a  lot  of 
native  songs  by  the  Hawaiians,  whose  folk-songs  are  in- 
tensely interesting.  Like  all  primitive  music,  they  have  few 
notes,  and  the  melody  is  very  simple;  the  minor  prevails, 
and  through  it  all  is  a  vague,  undefined  longing,  an  inartic- 
ulate soul;  they  never  seem  to  find  free  and  full  expression. 
The  voices  are  very  sweet  and  clear,  but  you  feel  the  sadness 
and  incompleteness  in  everything  they  sing. 

I  feel  stronger  to-day  than  I  have  felt  since  I  arrived. 
Our  Chinaman  is  an  excellent  cook,  and  the  house  is  very 
comfortable.  Quiet !  You  can  hear  yourself  think,  it  is  so 
still;  even  the  mosquitos  don't  sing. 

Just  a  word  before  we  leave  for  a  luncheon.  We  are 
going  up  to  see  a  girls'  school,  native,  a  beautiful  place,  over 
the  hill,  on  the  other  side  of  the  town. 


72         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

Such  a  good  breakfast!  We  begin  with  papaya  and  end 
with  grapes.  We  eat  alligator  pears  and  have  taro  fried 
instead  of  potatoes.  Taro  is  what  they  make  the  national 
dish  out  of.  It  tastes  like  starch;  that  is  about  the  only 
thing  that  I  do  not  like.  When  they  have  high  feasts,  they 
pound  the  taro  and  make  it  into  a  dish  that  tastes  like  sour 
paste  —  they  call  it  poi  —  and  many  people  like  it,  but  I 
don't.  There  is  another  very  pleasant  thing  here  I  haven't 
mentioned.  Every  night  we  look  the  beds  carefully  through 
for  centipedes,  shake  out  the  pillows,  pull  down  the  sheets; 
then  in  the  morning  shake  out  our  shoes  and  stockings. 
They  are  not  pleasant,  and  "we  in  our  house"  don't  want 
a  bite,  not  this  year.  Mosquitos  I  am  getting  used  to.  I 
have  a  screen  put  over  the  lounge,  and  I  sit  or  lie  in  my 
tent,  and  like  to  see  them  flattening  then"  noses  on  the  out- 
side and  wondering  how  they  can  get  at  me.  Netting  must 
be  the  Tantalus  of  the  mosquito. 

Home  again  after  a  most  delightful  day  at  Kamehameha, 
a  large  school  for  girls,  endowed  by  a  very  wealthy  lady, 
Mrs.  Bishop,  a  native  Hawaiian.  Her  husband  founded  a 
boys'  school,  museum,  and  did  any  quantity  of  things  for 
these  islands. 

The  house  is  most  beautiful.  It  is  built  in  a  half-cir- 
cular form,  with  stone  court  and  fountain  in  front,  and  long 
colonnades  stretching  to  right  and  left.  Rooms  open  out 
upon  the  piazza,  (lania),  and  the  interior  is  all  finished  in 
California  redwood.  Not  a  bit  of  paper  anywhere.  The 
school  is  for  native  girls,  and  has  industrial  features.  After 
a  most  sumptuous  dinner,  cooked  by  the  girls,  we  all  went 
into  the  large  hall,  and  the  girls  in  an  adjoining  room  sang 
the  native  songs  for  us.  The  royal  song  was  exquisite, 
and  the  girls  sang  it  with  much  expression.  They  are  in- 
tensely loyal,  and  the  Queen  is  expected  back  next  week; 
so  they  are  greatly  aroused.  The  native  Hawaiian  feels 
very  bad  over  annexation,  and  I  expect  there  will  be  a 
demonstration  when  she  gets  back  home.  I  shall  go  down 
on  the  wharf  to  see  her  come  in  and  hear  what  the  natives 
say.  I  read  for  the  girls,  and  had  a  very  charming  time 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  73 

with  them.  When  we  came  away,  Miss  Pope,  who  is 
at  the  head  of  the  school,  presented  me  with  a  bowl  made 
from  a  block  of  mahogany  taken  from  Mrs.  Bishop's  old 
house.  It  is  a  rarely  beautiful  thing,  and  I  shall  prize  it 
greatly. 

Miss  Pope  took  us  beyond  the  school  up  to  Mauna  Loa 
to  see  a  wonderful  farm  owned  by  Mr.  Deacon.  It  should 
be  called  Lagoona,  for  it  was  literally  a  series  of  lagoons 
and  islands.  He  had  great  rice-fields,  banana  groves,  dates, 
and  cocoanut  palms,  greenhouses,  and  even  a  sunflower 
patch. 

The  most  interesting  thing  was  a  native  house  built 
exactly  as  they  build  them  at  Samoa,  and  filled  with  native 
curios.  The  Bishop  Museum  also  has  a  great  collection 
of  native  wares,  which  we  are  going  to  see  some  day. 

I  saw  a  cactus  tree  to-day  —  actually  a  tree.  It  was  over 
twelve  feet  high,  and  the  funniest  thing  you  ever  saw.  I  never 
believed  the  cactus  was  a  tree  before,  although  it  is  so  clas- 
sified. 

Nine  o'clock,  and  only  think,  with  you  it  is  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  don't  like  to  be  so  far  away.  I 
have  changed  Gail  Hamilton's  "ten  miles  from  a  lemon" 
to  five  thousand  miles  from  my  grandchildren.  I  long  for 
letters;  only  think,  sweetheart,  it  is  about  three  weeks  since 
I  heard  from  you,  and  when  I  do  hear  the  news  will  be  about 
two  weeks  old.  We  shall  not  leave  here  until  the  third  of 
September,  as  Father  wants  to  go  to  the  volcano,  and  he  can- 
not get  away  earlier  and  take  that  trip.  We  have  lots  of 
invitations  for  the  other  islands,  and  I  know  we  shall  have 
a  lovely  time.  Each  island  presents  certain  definite  char- 
acteristics, and  I  am  glad  we  are  to  see  them  all.  I  wish 
I  had  six  months  here  rather  than  six  weeks. 

We  had  an  afternoon  at  home  to-day,  and  it  was  a  great 
success.  Lots  of  people  came,  a  Chinese  lady  in  full  cos- 
tume among  the  rest.  Miss  Lawrence  poured  tea,  and 
with  the  flowers  and  the  doors  all  open  it  was  very  pretty. 

It  came  out  to-day  that  the  teachers  are  making  a  col- 


74         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

lection  of  the  native  work,  wood,  shells,  etc.,  to  give  us  to 
carry  back  with  us.  One  brought  me  a  lovely  pair  of  shells 
to-day,  and  is  going  to  send  a  doll's  hat  for  Katherine. 

The  people  are  lovely.  They  will  do  anything  for  you. 
That  calabash  has  great  historical  value.  I  am  delighted 
with  it.  It  is  of  Koa  wood,  the  native  mahogany.  We  are 
to  have  several  pieces  given  us,  and  I  will  save  one  for  Tom. 
The  trees  are  not  very  numerous,  but  the  woods  are  very 
beautiful  and  take  a  high  polish. 

We  heard  a  good  story  of  a  native  to-day.  Some  one 
asked  him  if  he  were  married.  "Non,  non,  too  muche 
pa-pa,  too  muche  mama."  Another  native  calls  marriage 
a  "leg-tie";  a  man  who  is  married  can't  go  to  war,  "his 
leg  tied." 

Did  I  tell  you  that  we  go  home  on  the  "Miowera,"  the 
same  steamer  that  we  came  on,  which  leaves  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember ?  It  takes  just  eight  days  to  go  to  America,  so  be  sure, 
sweetheart,  that  you  all  have  letters  at  the  Vancouver  Hotel 
for  us,  welcoming  us  to  America  once  more.  I  shall  be  wild 
for  letters  from  home;  only  think  what  may  have  happened 
in  my  absence.  Don't  fail  to  write,  all  of  you,  for  I  shall 
get  homesicker  and  homesicker  the  nearer  home  I  get. 
You  can't  think  what  angels  you  all  seem  at  this  distance. 

We  are  to  have  a  grand  celebration  on  Thursday,  the 
annexation  celebration;  a  procession,  addresses  from  the 
capitol,  ending  with  a  salute  to  the  Hawaiian  and  the  Ameri- 
can flag,  and  in  the  evening  a  grand  ball.  I  suppose  I 
shan't  go  to  that,  but  I  wish  I  could. 

I  went  into  the  Chinese  stores  after  my  lesson  to-day, 
and,  oh,  how  I  wish  I  had  a  lot  of  money!  They  have 
exquisite  things.  The  Chinese  babies  are  great  fun.  I 
played  with  the  sweetest  little  one  I  ever  saw,  in  a  shop, 
to-day;  he  was  only  six,  and  a  perfect  dear.  They  are  so 
funny  with  their  little  shaved  heads  and  funny  eyes,  just 
like  a  doll;  they  don't  seem  alive,  for  they  won't  smile  or 
even  wink. 

I  bought  some  lovely  things,  what  I  shall  not  say.     You 


REMINISCENCES   AND   LETTERS  75 

must  wait  until  Christmas,  unless  you  come  out  and  hunt 
and  hunt  and  hunt.  Don't  you  wish  you  lived  next  door, 
and  could  come  in  and  help  me  unpack? 

Well,  this  letter  must  go  to-morrow,  so  good-bye,  my 
own  dear  children.  Mama  prays  it  is  well  with  you  all 
and  longs  to  see  you. 

Thursday,  July  21,  1898. 

I  sent  off  a  letter  of  over  thirty  pages  to  you  all  yesterday. 
I  would  almost  give  up  this  beautiful  country  for  a  sight  of  the 
"  little  head  running  over  with  curls"  that  used  to  greet  me 
every  morning  and  ask  "Damma"  to  make  "nice  nest." 
Don't  let  her  forget  Damma,  will  you  ? 

Yesterday  we  dined  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dillingham; 
very  lovely  people  here,  who  have  been  the  principal  movers 
in  Honolulu  improvements.  Mr.  D.  is  at  the  head  of  the 
railroad  now  building  around  the  island.  After  the  summer 
school  he  is  going  to  take  us  out  on  an  expedition  and  show  us 
the  sights.  Won't  that  be  jolly?  Friday  we  dine  at  the 
Hawaiian  Hotel  with  Mr.  Miller,  the  representative  of  the 
"Inter-Ocean,"  of  Chicago.  He  is  a  very  interesting  man 
and  a  rather  important  factor  in  the  newspaper  world.  We 
are  getting  a  fine  collection  of  native  woods,  shells,  lava,  seeds, 
mats,  etc.  The  teachers  are  bringing  me  things  every  day. 
Land  shells  of  most  curious  marking,  snail  shells.  They 
grow  upon  the  trees  on  the  mountains.  I  have  a  number  of 
duplicates,  and  shall  save  some  for  Katherine  and  Dorothy. 
Every  day  brings  a  new  fruit.  This  morning  I  had  a  rose 
apple.  It  is  about  the  size  of  a  small  peach,  in  shape  of  a 
quince,  and  tastes  of  roses  and  cinnamon,  perfectly  delicious. 
It  has  a  funny,  smooth,  round  seed  about  the  size  of  a  good 
plum-stone. 

I  went  into  the  Chinese  store  this  morning,  and  have  a 
number  of  queer  things  selected  which  I  am  going  to  buy 
later  on.  They  do  such  lovely  ivory  work.  It  is  very  expen- 
sive, though. 

The  mixture  of  races  is  interesting.  Chinese,  Japs, 
Hawaiians,  Portuguese  —  all  have  their  quarters  and  all  are 


76         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

to  be  met  everywhere  on  the  streets.  They  are  in  all  degrees 
of  assimilation,  for  you  meet  a  Jap  in  full  native  costume 
and  just  behind  him  another  in  full  European.  One  small 
Chinese  had  on  his  native  costume  and  an  American  straw 
hat,  and  was  riding  a  bicycle.  I  laughed  aloud  to-day  when 
I  met  a  Chinese  boy  about  seven  whistling  "There'll  be  a 
hot  time  in  the  old  town  to-night."  Shut  your  eyes,  and  you 
would  have  believed  he  came  from  Chicago.  I  had  a  new 
sensation  to-day.  I  rode  into  a  rainbow.  It  was  so  close  that 
I  could  have  touched  the  place  where  it  ended.  If  Father 
hadn  't  been  with  me,  I  should  have  gone  down  and  found  the 
pot  of  gold. 

Father  is  having  great  success  here.  Everybody  is 
delighted  with  him,  and  I  think  he  will  do  a  great  deal  of 
good.  To-day  they  organized  a  society  to  push  industrial 
and  agricultural  work,  called  the  General  Armstrong  Indus- 
trial Society,  in  honor  of  General  Armstrong  of  Hampton. 
Father  meets  quite  a  number  of  the  young  men  every  day  and 
is  stirring  them  up.  They  are  all  so  fond  of  him.  He  will 
be  a  great  inspiration  in  their  lives.  A  Mr.  Wood  called  this 
afternoon  and  took  us  up  on  Punch  Bowl  to  see  an  extinct 
crater.  We  studied  cuts  in  the  hill,  saw  the  black  sand  and 
tufa;  we  stopped  and  had  learned  discussions  over  gulches, 
and  tried  to  see  flood  plains  and  lava  tongues.  I  indeed 
found  sermons  in  stones  this  afternoon,  for  I  could  hardly 
make  head  or  tail  of  the  whole  discussion.  Father  found  it 
most  interesting,  but  for  me,  give  me  an  active  volcano 
spouting;  then  I'll  see  where  the  lava  flows,  determine 
lateral  cones  for  myself,  and  decide  whether  it  is  wind  or 
erosion  which  determines  cinder  heaps  and  black  deposits. 

It  seemed  much  like  some  of  Father's  conundrums  with- 
out the  answers. 

Mr.  Dillingham  gave  me  a  very  vivid  description  of  Ki- 
lauea,  the  big  volcano,  now  unfortunately  not  very  active. 
The  party  went  up  on  horseback,  by  the  trail,  and  took  a 
lunch.  Then  they  watched  the  sunset  and  the  great  rolling 
mass  of  fire  that  brightened  and  deepened  as  the  darkness 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  77 

grew.  The  whole  crater  was  filled  with  a  molten  mass  of 
fire  that  seethed  and  surged  against  the  cliff  below  them, 
sending  up  great  masses  of  fire  spray,  which  fell  back  into 
the  crater,  causing  loud  explosions  of  steam.  They  stayed 
watching  this  grand  sight  until  midnight.  Mr.  Dillingham 
said  that  in  certain  parts  of  the  crater,  where  there  was  less 
motion,  the  lava  would  cake  over;  then  a  central  disturbance, 
more  violent  than  usual,  would  break  this  surface  up  into 
huge  masses  that  would  slowly  rise  into  the  air,  stand  a  mo- 
ment like  huge  splinters  of  black  rock,  then  slowly  sink  and 
melt  from  sight.  Now  the  floor  of  the  crater  has  sunk  fif- 
teen hundred  feet  below  the  surface.  You  could  put  the 
whole  of  New  York  into  the  crevice.  Only  steam  with  a 
slight  reddening  of  lava  is  to  be  seen.  Of  course,  it  is 
intensely  interesting  even  as  it  is ;  but  think  of  what  it  must 
have  been. 

The  best  lesson  I  have  had  at  all  to-day. 

After  the  lesson  we  rode  down  to  my  Chinaman  (I've  set 
up  a  Chinaman),  a  funny  store  with  lunch  place  at  the  back, 
filled  with  all  sorts  and  kinds  of  china  and  silk  embroideries, 
with  a  sprinkling  of  furniture.  I  do  wish  I  could  bring  some 
of  it  home.  I  bought  several  presents  here.  Isn't  it  lucky 
we  are  to  be  in  the  U.  S.  ?  Now  I  can  take  things  home. 
The  celebration  will  not  take  place  until  next  week,  as  the 
"Philadelphia"  has  not  arrived.  We  are  looking  for  the 
transports  every  minute,  and  I  do  so  hope  that  I'll  get  another 
letter  from  you. 

My  Chinaman  took  me  in  where  they  were  lunching,  and 
I  saw  them  eating  with  chop-sticks.  He  also  showed  me 
how  to  use  them.  The  Chinese  are  very  deft  and  skilful 
with  them,  and  it  is  a  difficult  thing  to  handle  them.  I  am 
practising  to  astonish  my  grandchildren.  They  were  eating 
funny  little  fishes  about  two  inches  long,  all  done  up  in  some 
kind  of  long,  stringy  greens.  It  really  looked  nice,  but  I 
did  not  accept  an  invitation  to  lunch  with  them. 

We  dined  last  evening  with  Mr.  Miller  at  the  Hawaiian 
Hotel,  which  is  beautiful  and  furnished  in  good  taste.  It  has 


78         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

open  places,  or  courts,  all  around,  and  beautiful  gardens.  The 
hotel  is  built  around  a  court,  open  at  one  side,  and  owns  a 
great  many  cottages  all  about,  where  families  can  be  accom- 
modated. Just  before  we  started  last  night,  as  we  were  sit- 
ting on  the  piazza  waiting  for  a  car,  there  was  the  most  infer- 
nal squawk  you  ever  heard  over  the  garden  wall.  Then 
another  and  another,  followed  by  a  rustling  of  the  branches. 
A  stately  peacock  tiptoed  across  the  lawn,  his  beautiful  tail 
just  lifted  to  escape  the  grass.  He  was  the  prettiest  sight 
imaginable  —  the  colors  on  his  neck  and  the  graceful  way 
in  which  his  tail  feathers  fluttered  in  the  wind.  Near  the 
fence  something  startled  him,  and  every  feather  was  lifted 
and  stood  distinct  and  separate  above  his  head.  We  just  fairly 
revel  in  color  here.  I  never  saw  such  color  effects. 

To-night  we  are  going  to  the  Chinese  theatre.  A  China- 
man is  to  take  us  and  explain  all  about  it. 

Such  a  funny  experience  as  we  had  last  night !  Imagine  a 
huge  barn  with  rafters  and  beams  unfinished,  a  rude  gallery 
with  three  private  boxes  on  either  side,  the  floor  fitted  with 
benches  and  filled  with  Chinamen,  who  smoked  and  kept 
their  hats  on.  The  only  women  were  in  the  boxes — that  is, 
there  were  perhaps  with  our  party  eight  women  present. 
The  stage  was  a  little  less  barren  than  the  house;  there  was  no 
attempt  at  decoration.  Some  curtains  were  put  up  at  the 
stage  entrances  which  were  at  the  back  of  the  stage. 

All  the  action  took  place  on  a  slightly  raised  platform, 
marked  stage.  All  the  properties  needed  were  kept  just  back 
of  this  stage  and  handed  to  the  actors  as  they  were  needed. 
The  orchestra  kept  up  a  continual  din  and  struck  in  any 
and  every  where.  The  acting  was  capital,  the  voices  abomin- 
able, such  yelling  on  one  shrill  key  I  never  heard.  Of  course, 
the  women's  parts  were  taken  by  men,  and  their  dresses  and 
make-up  were  very  effective. 

The  play  didn't  have  a  plot  or  plan,  so  far  as  I  could  see. 
It  was  a  succession  of  funny  little  scenes.  Two  were  quar- 
relling over  stealing  a  calf;  a  woman  who  despised  her  hus- 
band because  he  didn't  support  her;  a  family  quarrel  over 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  79 

the  division  of  money  when  the  father  died;  flirtations 
of  the  dissolute  sons  of  a  judge;  the  temptation  of  a  very 
proud  young  man  by  a  very  haughty  young  woman;  and  a 
quarrel  between  a  sister  and  a  brother.  All  of  these  seemed 
little  family  episodes  that  might  have  happened  in  any 
neighborhood,  but  so  far  as  any  relation  to  the  play  was 
concerned,  I  couldn't  see  where  it  came  in.  There  was  an 
utter  lack  of  dramatic  unity. 

The  audience  seemed  highly  amused.  They  talked  and 
jabbered  all  the  time,  and  were  full  of  expression.  The 
Chinese  servant  and  his  immovable  face  is  one  thing  —  a 
lot  of  them  on  their  native  heath,  so  to  speak,  is  another  thing. 

One  funny  thing  is  the  lack  of  scenery.  You  had  to 
imagine  a  bedroom  door,  and  the  actor  went  through  the 
pantomime  of  unlocking  the  door,  and  later  the  infuriated 
husband  forced  the  same  door  with  his  sword  to  get  at  his 
unfaithful  wife. 

I  was  told  some  very  interesting  things  the  other  night 
about  the  superstitions  of  the  Hawaiians.  They  had,  and 
still  have  to  a  limited  extent,  their  medicine  men.  The 
hoodoo  is  their  great  superstition.  A  native  gets  word  that 
he  is  being  hoodooed  or  prayed  to  death  by  a  Kahuna  (medi- 
cine man),  and,  unless  something  can  be  done,  he  dies.  Dr. 
Cassell  was  one  day  in  the  office  when  a  native  came  in  and 
told  him  that  a  Kahuna  said  he  would  be  dead  in  two  months. 
The  Doctor  laughed  and  said:  "Tell  her  that  she  will  be 
dead  in  two  months;  that  I  am  a  stronger  Kahuna  than  she." 
He  thought  no  more  of  it,  but  in  two  months  after  the  man 
came  in  and  said:  "She  is  dead."  "Who?"  "Why,  the 
Kahuna  you  prayed  for."  You  see,  she  believed  he  was  a 
Kahuna,  and  promptly  died.  Nothing  can  cure  a  native  if 
he  believes  that  he  is  being  hoodooed.  Dr.  Cassell  was  a 
great  favorite  with  the  King,  but  after  the  above  happened  he 
was  never  invited  to  the  palace;  the  King  was  afraid  of  him. 

I  am  going  up  to  the  museum  next  week  to  see  the  native 
collections.  Then  I  shall  see  their  religious  and  medicine 
paraphernalia.  Father  has  been  there  and  says  it  is  a  great 
study. 


8o         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

Yesterday  I  did  not  write,  for  it  was  our  reception  day. 
Such  a  lot  of  callers  and  such  a  delightful  time.  I  haven't 
told  you  much  about  the  people,  but  they  are  charming.  If 
I  were  well,  I  should  be  overwhelmed  with  engagements. 

A  Mr.  Dodge  and  his  wife  called  yesterday.  He  is  a  poet 
and  an  artist  as  well.  He  goes  to  all  my  lessons,  and  seems 
to  enjoy  my  work.  I  am  to  read  one  of  his  poems  to  the 
class  to-morrow.  He  brought  me  six  pictures,  two  beautiful 
ones  of  the  night-blooming  cereus.  I  am  so  glad,  for  I  can 
give  you  some  faint  idea  through  them  of  its  beauty. 

One  lady  brought  me  a  straw  pillow,  made  by  the  natives, 
and  a  tortoise-shell  taro  blossom  for  a  hairpin.  It  is  very 
quaint  and  curious.  The  same  lady  brought  some  shells. 

Mrs.  Crabbe  gave  me  a  Samoan  fan,  a  very  singular 
thing;  and  another  lady  brought  Father  a  vase  made  from 
the  wood  of  the  tree  fern ;  it  is  very  beautiful  in  shape,  carv- 
ing, and  color.  We  also  had  some  colored  photographs  and 
a  hundred  specimens  of  ferns  from  one  of  the  teachers.  The 
photos  are  very  tempting.  I  bought  five  dozen  yesterday. 

Did  I  write  you  that  ground  had  been  broken  for  the  new 
building  at  home?  The  whole  upper  part  of  the  building 
is  to  be  a  museum  with  cases  (glass)  in  which  to  lock  up 
things.  When  we  get  everything  out  and  labelled,  it  will 
be  seen  how  industrious  we  have  been. 

Judge  Frear  is  one  of  the  new  commissioners  to  draw  up 
laws  for  governing  our  new  possessions  here.  He  is  a 
charming  man,  and  frequently  comes  in  to  dinner  with  us. 
Mr.  Dilhngham,  his  father-in-law,  was  in  last  night  to  see 
about  our  trip  on  the  railroad.  He  owns  the  principal  part 
of  the  stock,  and  wants  us  to  see  the  road  before  we  leave. 
He  proposes  that  we  drive  half  around  the  island  to  the 
head  of  the  road  in  private  carriages,  then  go  the  rest  of  the 
way  on  the  railroad.  All  this  when  we  return  from  our 
volcano  trip. 

I  hear  wonderful  accounts  of  the  food  and  water  part  of 
that  expedition.  Miss  Ely  said  she  spent  the  whole  night 
alternately  bracing  herself  in  her  berth  and  climbing  the 
wall,  varying  the  performance  by  standing  on  her  head  at 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  81 

intervals.  I  think  I  stand  a  fair  chance  of  being  seasick, 
but  shall  take  my  chance,  all  for  the  sake  of  seeing  a  real 
live  volcano. 

Another  red-letter  day  yesterday.  After  my  lesson  I  did 
a  little  shopping,  and  then  home  for  lunch.  At  two  a  car- 
riage came  to  the  house,  and  Father,  Mr.  Wood,  and  myself 
started  for  the  Pali.  Pali  means  wall  and  is  a  narrow  pass 
through  the  mountains  to  the  ocean  on  the  other  side  of 
the  island.  Just  fancy  riding  across  a  continent  in  about 
two  hours.  It  was  a  glorious  ride  up  the  side  of  the  hill, 
past  summer  residences  and  Portuguese  gardens  of  carna- 
tions and  anemones,  past  the  reservoirs,  and  finally,  as  the 
pass  narrowed,  through  great  thickets  of  the  haw  tree,  which 
makes  a  perfect  jungle.  The  ferns  were  something  too 
beautiful  to  imagine.  Great  fronds  three  and  four  feet  long, 
and  making  a  veritable  fairyland.  We  looked  down  a 
great  bowl  by  the  side  of  the  road;  the  Australian  palm 
completely  festooned  with  vines;  a  little  pool  filled  with 
lily  pads;  great  tree  ferns,  and  ferns  of  every  description 
clothing  the  sides;  and  here  and  there  the  tea  plant  with 
its  great,  broad  leaves  making  spots  of  lighter  green. 
Father  could  hardly  drag  me  away.  There  was  one  fern  in 
particular  that  was  very  effective;  it  was  a  dark  green  after 
it  had  been  out  awhile  and  turned,  but  a  light  red  when  it 
first  came  out.  Must  get  some  fronds  for  you. 

Finally,  the  walls  narrowed  to  just  the  road,  with  tall  red 
lava  cliffs  perfectly  perpendicular  rising  on  either  side.  We 
turned  a  corner  and  the  wind  fairly  blew  us  against  the 
rocky  corner  —  then  such  a  sight !  We  were  on  a  narrow 
rocky  platform;  the  walls  dropped  straight  down  three  hun- 
dred feet,  and  below,  stretching  three  miles,  the  plain,  and 
beyond  the  great  glorious  ocean,  pale  blue  or  deep  sapphire, 
a  foaming  line  for  the  reefs,  and  near  the  shore  every  shade 
of  the  opal. 

To  north  and  south  stretched  the  shore  line,  a  series  of 
palisades,  looking  like  the  inside  of  a  crater,  then,  nearer  the 
coast,  low,  worn  hills,  or  cinder  mounds.  To  the  south  the 


82         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

clouds  swept  in  rainy  sheets,  twisting  and  writhing  on  in 
long,  grey,  vaporous  masses  down  the  ravines.  It  was  a 
sight  for  men  and  gods,  and  I  wish  I  could  pitch  my  tent 
there  for  a  month  and  let  its  beauty  rush  into  my  soul. 
The  valleys  were  under  cultivation,  with  rice-fields  and  pine- 
apple farms,  and  on  the  flanks  of  the  mountains  were  native 
trees  making  every  shade  of  color  imaginable.  The  earth 
is  red  in  the  valley,  and  so  every  plant  stood  out  against  a  red 
background.  I  have  exhausted  my  vocabulary.  Adjectives 
won't  do  justice  to  the  situation.  And  they  say  that  the 
trip  to  Hawaii  is  grander!  What  shall  I  do  ? 

Two  lectures  more.  It  seems  like  a  dream,  a  beautiful 
dream,  the  three  weeks  I  have  spent  here.  If  I  only  had  you 
all  here  and  could  stay  six  months! 

This  pass  is  the  famous  one  where  Kamehama  I.  drove 
the  natives  up  and  closed  in  upon  them  and  forced  them  over 
the  precipice.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the  site  of  the  tremendous 
volcano  that  made  this  island.  This  was  Dana's  theory, 
but  of  course  it  is  disputed  by  some.  Certainly  the  walls 
look  like  the  crater  of  a  huge  volcano,  and  there  is  lava  and 
mud,  not  to  speak  of  cinders,  enough  to  warrant  the  belief. 

This  morning  I  talked  upon  child  study  to  a  large  audience. 
Ever  so  many  delightful  people  there.  You  can 't  think  the 
invitations  I  have  had  to  lunch,  drive,  spend  the  night  or  a 
week  at  beautiful  places. 

A  lady  brought  me  some  shells,  a  basket,  several  necklaces 
of  beads,  seeds  and  shells,  and  some  beautiful  lace  woven  by 
the  Portuguese.  Our  collection  is  growing  fast.  Mr.  Ward 
is  going  to  bring  me  another  calabash. 

I  have  just  discovered  that  I  have  spelled  his  Majesty's 
name,  Kamehameha  L,  the  Napoleon  of  Hawaii,  wrong.  I 
think  he  was  gay,  from  all  I  hear  of  him,  and  I  wish  to  do 
him  all  honor  and  give  him  all  the  vowels  he  is  entitled  to. 

He  was  more  liberal  in  his  intercourse  with  the  whites 
than  most  of  the  natives,  and  in  this  encounter  with  the 
natives  of  Oahu,  the  island  upon  which  Honolulu  is  situated, 
he  had  the  help  of  John  Young,  sixteen  white  men,  well 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  83 

armed,  and  a  cannon.  It  was  fear  of  the  cannon  that  drove 
the  natives  over  the  Pali,  or  precipice.  That  is  spelled  Pali. 
Dear  me,  I  '11  stop  writing  any  more  history  if  I  have  to  spell 
the  names. 

Last  day  of  school.  I  have  been  at  every  lesson,  and 
ended  in  a  blaze  of  glory.  Best  lecture  last.  We  have  an 
evening  lecture  and  farewell  reception,  and  then  for  a  month's 
rest.  I  am  so  thankful  that  I  could  put  the  thing  through 
and  grow  stronger  all  the  time.  The  people  are  all  delighted 
with  the  work  we  have  done.  Every  evening  lecture  has 
been  crowded,  and  the  whole  thing  a  great  success. 

Last  night  I  was  in  paradise;  but  I  haven't  said  that 
before,  have  I  ?  A  veritable  paradise.  At  six  we  took  a 
carriage  drive  along  the  shore,  past  the  palm  groves  and  the 
rice-fields,  the  lengthening  shadows  of  the  mountains,  and 
finally  came  to  Mrs.  James  Castle's,  where  we  were  invited 
to  dinner.  The  house  is  set  far  back  from  the  road,  sur- 
rounded by  a  beautiful  lawn  and  magnificent  trees.  As  we 
stepped  out  upon  the  piazza.,  such  a  sight  as  burst  upon  our 
enraptured  eyes!  The  house  is  literally  upon  the  edge  of 
the  ocean,  which  stretches,  with  never  an  island,  clear  to  the 
horizon.  To  the  right  the  shore  gently  curves  a  matter  of 
thirteen  miles  or  more,  ending  in  a  high  range  of  mountains, 
the  shore  fringed  with  royal  and  cocoanut  palms  that  in  the 
lower  stretches  stand  out  against  the  sky.  Behind  the  far- 
thest range  the  sun  was  just  setting;  great  white,  fleecy 
clouds  were  piled  high  in  the  sky  over  our  heads,  all  ready  to 
catch  the  golden  glow.  The  rim  of  the  mountain  was  deep 
purple  and  the  shadows  and  mists  violet.  Punch  Bowl,  a 
cinder  cone,  took  greenish-grey  shadows  against  the  darker 
range  back  of  it.  The  sea  was  a  brilliant  sapphire,  golden 
where  the  clouds  were  reflected ;  the  sky,  that  wonderful  blue 
that  you  see  only  in  atmospheres  as  absolutely  pure  as  in  these 
islands.  A  wide  veranda  passes  clear  around  the  house,  with 
cane  chairs  and  lounges  with  cushions  everywhere,  and 
great  palms  and  statues  against  the  pillars.  Back  of  this 
was  an  immense  room  furnished  in  the  French  style,  beau- 


84         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

tiful  furniture,  every  piece  a  gem;  desk,  rosewood  inlaid 
with  ivory,  seats  built  in,  and  inviting  cushions.  Books, 
rare  china,  fine  paintings  all  about,  but  I  got  out  to  the  view 
as  soon  as  possible.  I  watched  the  sun  set,  and  about  half 
past  seven  two  Chinese  servants  brought  out  the  table  almost 
ready  for  dinner.  It  was  beautiful.  Six  silver  candlesticks, 
a  bank  of  roses,  the  glass  Venetian,  with  Venetian  pitchers, 
for  the  eight  courses,  besides  coffee  and  mint. 

The  company  was  distinguished.  Murat  Halstead,  the 
newspaper  correspondent,  Minister  Thurston  and  his  wife, 
and  Mrs.  Carter,  a  very  lovely  woman,  whose  husband 
was  killed  in  the  last  rebellion. 

Murat  Halstead  is  a  most  interesting  man,  quite  old, 
very  quaint  in  his  style,  full  of  reminiscences.  Thurston 
is  a  man  you  will  hear  from  —  young,  active,  a  good  talker, 
with  every  statistic  of  this  island  at  ready  command. 

Last,  but  not  least,  the  host  and  hostess  were  charming. 
Mr.  Castle  is  a  sugar  planter,  and  his  wife  a  very  attractive 
woman.  She  was  dressed  in  white  satin,  a  directoire,  and 
looked  as  if  she  had  just  stepped  out  of  a  picture. 

Think  what  it  must  be  to  live  where  one  can  in  a  second 
step  into  all  that  glory  of  ocean  and  land!  Of  all  the  pict- 
ures, that  is  the  most  beautiful,  and  I  am  going  to  see  it 
again  —  I  am  blest  above  women. 

Friday  I  gave  my  last  reading,  in  the  evening.  Satur- 
day A.  M.  at  half-past  nine  we  took  the  car  to  the  depot, 
met  a  party  of  twenty-five  people,  and  started  on  our  journey 
upon  the  only  steam  railway  on  the  island.  It  has  been 
built  only  a  few  months,  in  the  interest  of  the  sugar  planta- 
tions, and  runs  about  two-thirds  around  the  island.  It 
connects  with  Pearl  Harbor,  a  beautiful  inlet  that  is  to  be 
dredged  and  will  be  a  great  shipping  port  for  rice,  sugar, 
and  fruit. 

The  sugar  plantations  are  perfectly  immense.  We  saw 
great  fields  of  cane  growing;  there  are  large  sugar  manu- 
facturing plants,  and  row  after  row  of  cottages  for  the  China- 
men and  Japanese  that  work  on  the  plantations. 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  85 

We  saw  the  natives  planting  rice,  ankle-deep  in  water, 
a  bunch  of  plants  in  one  hand,  and  root  by  root  they  stuck 
the  single  shoot  into  the  mud.  The  rice-fields  are  a  suc- 
cession of  plots  of  ground  separated  by  grassy  ridges,  one 
below  the  other,  so  that  the  water  can  run  from  rice-patch 
to  rice-patch.  These  fields  are  an  exquisite  green,  and  from 
the  mountains,  as  you  look  down  upon  them,  are  beautiful 
white  sand  beaches,  with  black  lava  rocks  thrust  out  into 
the  sea.  We  drove  past  the  tall,  gaunt  cliffs,  where  hardly 
a  green  thing  was  to  be  seen,  just  high  sand  dunes;  along 
rocky  beaches,  high  above  the  ocean,  where  the  water  had 
carved  the  lava  into  all  sorts  of  fantastic  shapes,  until  at  last 
we  reached  the  end  of  the  road.  There  we  found  carriages 
waiting  us,  and  drove  until  luncheon  was  ready,  which  we 
had  in  a  box-car  with  long  seats  on  either  side,  a  splendid 
lunch,  and  then  we  spread  out  along  the  beach,  hunting 
shells,  sea-urchins,  and  crabs  until  it  was  time  to  go  home. 

It  was  a  distinguished  company,  Professors  galore. 
Among  them  the  U.  S.  Geologist,  on  his  way  to  the  Philip- 
pines, and  Professor  Becker,  a  very  interesting  man. 

To-day  we  went  up  to  lunch  with  Professor  and  Mrs. 
Mead.  They  are  up  in  the  valley  just  above  us,  a  view  of 
sea  and  mountain  and  cloud  that  would  do  your  heart  good. 
You  can't  imagine  the  beauty  of  this  island.  I  so  long  to 
be  well  and  strong,  and  to  climb  and  walk,  and  walk  and 
climb,  until  I  have  made  its  beauty  a  part  of  my  very  being. 

Mrs.  Mead  was  very  kind  to  me,  and  I  had  a  good  rest 
on  a  great  roomy  lounge  in  the  corner  where  out  of  a  large 
window  I  could  see  the  hills  across  the  valley.  Presi- 
dent and  Mrs.  Dole,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Emerson,  and  several 
others  were  there.  After  lunch  a  lot  of  people  came  in. 

To-morrow  is  the  first  day  of  August.  We  have  thirty 
lovely  days  left,  and  then  that  ocean  trip.  What  a  summer 
I  have  had,  and  only  think  I  am  growing  stronger  all  the 
time! 

Yesterday  noon  I  went  over  to  the  Kamehameha  School 
to  lunch  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson,  who  have  charge 


86         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

of  the  boys'  school.  We  enjoyed  our  lunch  and  had  a  nice 
talk,  then  went  up  to  the  Bishop  Museum,  a  fine  stone  build- 
ing on  the  grounds. 

Its  foundation  and  success  is  due  to  a  large  estate  left  by 
Mr.  Bishop  in  memory  of  his  native  wife,  one  of  the  royal 
family  and  a  very  cultured  and  beautiful  woman;  and  the 
devotion  of  its  curator,  Mr.  Brigham,  who  has  travelled  all 
about  the  world,  studying  museums,  and  is  a  most  persistent 
student  and  collector.  Each  group  is  arranged  in  alcoves 
and  can  be  studied  carefully.  It  is  wonderful — the  fineness 
of  carving  and  delicacy  of  design  on  the  part  of  men  who  are 
regarded  as  the  lowest  of  savages.  The  cannibals  did  the 
best  work  of  them  all.  Their  tools  are  of  the  rudest  descrip- 
tion, but  the  result  is  a  work  of  art,  fine  in  design  and  chaste 
in  coloring.  I  saw  a  disk  of  tortoise-shell  mounted  on  a 
disk  of  ivory  (to  be  worn  as  a  head  ornament)  that  wasn't 
any  thicker  than  paper  (the  tortoise-shell,  I  mean)  and  was 
as  delicate  as  lace,  it  was  so  finely  cut.  The  white  ivory 
showing  through  the  dark  of  the  tortoise  made  it  look  like 
a  beautiful  piece  of  inlaid  work. 

A  steamer  goes  to-morrow.  Will  write  on  the  trip  I  am 
to  take  to-day.  With  ever  and  ever  so  much  love  to  my 
dear  ones. 

August  3. 

A  new  letter  begun.    Will  you  ever  be  able  to  read  all 
I  send  you  ? 

To-day  has  been  a  lazy  day.  We  are  taking  a  day  off. 
Yesterday,  after  sending  your  letter,  I  began  packing  a  valise 
for  the  south-west  island  —  I  have  forgotten  its  name.  We 
got  ready,  drove  to  the  steamer,  and  then  found  that  the 
"Philadelphia"  would  arrive  the  next  day.  As  we  did  not 
wish  to  lose  the  annexation  ceremonies,  we  drove  back  and 
unpacked  again. 

We  had  an  invitation  to  dinner  at  Mrs.  Carter's,  so  I 
telephoned  her  that  I  had  changed  my  plans.  We  dressed 
and  drove  out  to  Aikiki.  This  is  the  same  beautiful  suburb 
of  which  I  wrote  you,  and  Mrs.  Carter's  house  is  next  Mrs. 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  87 

Castle's,  the  lady  who  had  the  Greek  veranda.  Mrs. 
Carter's  is  slightly  back  from  the  ocean;  the  whole  side  of 
the  house  can  be  opened  by  lifting  slatted  sections  that,  when 
raised,  serve  as  a  cover.  The  lawn  is  beautifully  kept,  and 
shaded  by  the  algaroba  tree,  which  droops  softly,  giving 
glimpses  of  the  ocean  as  you  sit  on  the  lawn  in  the  great  wil- 
low chair  filled  with  soft  cushions.  The  house  is  admirable. 
There  is  a  beautiful  piano,  books,  cushioned  seats,  exquisite 
embroideries  —  everything  so  sweet  and  inviting.  Mrs. 
Carter  is  charming,  full  of  life,  and  a  lovely  mother.  She 
has  two  children,  a  boy  and  a  girl.  There  were  four  little 
tables  on  the  lawn,  and  we  had  our  dinner  there.  The  moon 
rose  over  great  Diamond  Head;  the  sun  went  down  in  a 
bank  of  clouds;  there  was  a  lunar  rainbow,  a  thing  I  had 
never  seen  before.  We  got  home  about  eleven,  and  slept  all 
night  long.  Even  after  such  a  day  I  am  not  very  tired,  but, 
as  I  say,  Father  and  I  are  resting  and  getting  our  letters  off. 
Did  you  ever  see  a  lunar  rainbow  ?  It  arched  across  the  sky 
in  the  regulation  manner,  and  the  colors,  though  faint,  were 
very  distinct.  It  is  a  rare  sight,  and  I  think  we  were  very 
fortunate. 

This  morning  about  eleven  the  "Philadelphia"  was 
signalled,  and  so  of  course  we  went  down  to  see  her  come 
in.  The  wharf  was  crowded  with  people;  the  carriages 
lined  the  sides  of  the  street;  the  guns  were  booming,  and 
the  band  on  the  tug  playing  national  airs.  The  great  mon- 
ster slowly  swung  to  her  moorings,  splash !  went  her  anchor, 
and  then  a  salute  of  seven  guns.  Everybody  is  waiting 
anxiously  to  hear  what  news  she  brought,  and  Father  and  I 
are  going  down  by  and  by  to  see  whether  the  war  is  over 
or  not. 

It 's  the  funniest  thing  about  the  children.  I  see  any  quan- 
tity of  things  for  Katherine,  but  for  poor  little  Francis  and 
Dorothy  I  can't  see  a  thing  that  is  suitable.  I  do  wish  they 
would  hurry  up  and  grow,  and  get  some  sense,  and  then  I'd 
have  some  in  regard  to  them.  The  trouble  is,  everything 
goes  into  their  mouths. 

I  am  keeping  house.     It  isn  't  much  trouble,  for  a  China- 


88         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

man  is  perfection  when  you  understand  him  and  he  you. 
He  just  gets  through  his  work,  and  it  is  well  done,  too. 
I'd  give  anything  to  have  one  in  the  house  at  home.  They 
are  splendid  workers  and  fine  cooks. 

Yesterday  we  went  down  to  the  Chinese  quarter,  and 
spent  an  hour,  just  looking  around.  We  found  several 
things  —  a  basket  or  two ;  but  the  best  was  an  old  carved 
soapstone  vase  perfectly  charming  in  color,  for  which  I  paid 
only  seventy-five  cents.  It  was  a  great  find,  and  will  be 
perfectly  lovely  in  the  library. 

We  came  home,  dressed,  had  dinner,  and  in  the  evening 
Mrs.  Dillingham,  Judge  Frear,  Mrs.  Carter,  and  Mr.  Lowrie, 
her  cousin,  came.  Mrs.  Dillingham  brought  over  her  col- 
lection of  paintings  of  native  fish,  for  us  to  see,  a  hundred 
or  more.  After  we  had  looked  them  over,  I  read  for  an 
hour  from  Sidney  Lanier, — "The  Marshes  of  Glynn,"  "Owl 
against  Robin,"  "The  Song  of  the  Chattahoochee," — and 
"Field  Notes"  from  Sill.  It  was  a  lovely  evening,  take  it 
altogether. 

Warm  and  beautiful  this  morning.  The  birds  are  chat- 
tering, the  hibiscus  full  of  red  blossoms,  and,  as  I  look  across, 
the  stately  palm  trees  are  slowly  waving  in  the  breeze.  The 
algaroba  trees  stand  out  against  the  deep  blue  sky,  and  the 
monkey-pod  tree  shines  and  glistens  against  the  white  of  the 
Spreckels  grand  mansion  opposite.  Father  has  gone  down 
town,  and  I  am  writing  before  I  dress  to  go  to  lunch  with 
President  and  Mrs.  Dole. 

We  fear  we  shall  not  see  the  flag  raised,  after  all.  This 
morning  it  was  stated  that  the  celebration  would  not  take 
place  until  Friday,  and  on  Friday  we  must  go  to  Hawaii,  if 
we  go  at  all.  Too  bad,  for  it  is  to  be  a  great  affair,  and  we 
have  lost  the  trip  to  an  island  already. 

Yesterday  at  nine  we  started  for  the  Pali  again  for  an 
all-day  trip.  The  scenery  was  grander  even  than  the  other 
day,  when  it  was  clear  sunshine.  The  clouds  and  mists 
rolling  in  and  breaking  over  the  numerous  peaks  made  beauty 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  89 

and  constant  change.  The  rain  clouds  drop  in  sheets  way 
over  the  ocean  and  down  to  the  valleys.  It  was  a  novel 
sensation  to  see  driving  rain  on  the  hillsides  on  each  side  of 
us  and  to  be  in  the  middle  perfectly  dry.  But  it  wasn't  so 
nice  when  we  reached  the  narrow  place  in  the  valley  where 
they  both  came  together,  driving  from  either  side.  We  went 
clear  over  the  mountain,  down  the  valley,  to  visit  a  sugar 
plantation,  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  island.  The  manager 
was  away,  but  his  book-keeper  took  us  all  over  the  factory, 
explaining  the  process  of  sugar  making.  We  then  went 
out  on  the  coral  reef,  had  a  fine  lunch,  and  inspected  Mr. 
Fisher's  bachelor  quarters,  then  went  up  to  the  manager's 
house  to  see  his  garden  and  some  photos,  then  over  the 
mountain  and  home. 

The  scenery  is  particularly  fine  on  that  side  of  the  island, 
and  the  color  divine,  as  we  looked  across  the  bay  to  the  great 
cinder  heaps,  piled  so  picturesquely  around  the  arm  of  the 
bay  —  a  peninsula  that  curves  out  into  the  sapphire  blue  of 
the  great  ocean.  These  cinder  heaps  have  no  verdure  what- 
ever, and  are  broken  and  ridged  all  along  the  sides  and  the 
top.  They  are  a  piney  grey  that  changes  to  blue  and  violet 
in  the  shadows,  and  stand  out  against  the  blue  of  the  sky  and 
ocean  in  bold  relief.  How  I  wish  every  day  of  my  life  that 
Nellie  were  here  to  see  this  wealth  of  color1-  I  never  wanted 
to  paint  so  in  my  life  as  since  I  have  been  here. 

Father  has  decided  what  to  get  for  Francis, —  a  complete 
suit  of  a  baby  Chinaman.  Won't  he  look  cunning?  I 
never  saw  anything  funnier  than  the  little  Chinese  as  they 
toddle  about  the  street.  I  ordered  a  kimona  for  Katherine 
yesterday,  and  am  trying  to  find  one  small  enough  for  Doro- 
thy, but  haven't  succeeded  yet.  A  kimona  is  the  dress  of  a 
little  Jap.  The  people  put  them  on  in  the  morning  and  at 
night,  over  their  night-dresses  as  a  sort  of  dressing  sack.  It  is 
great  fun  getting  together  things  for  the  school  cabinet.  I 
have  added  some  pillows,  straw  hats  of  the  Hawaiians  and 
the  Chinese;  their  funny  sandals,  and  some  lovely  baskets. 

I  am  about  ready  to  go  home.  There  is  too  much  to  see. 
The  longer  you  stay,  the  more  places  you  have  to  go  to,  and 


90         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

each  lovelier  than  the  preceding.  The  Cook  tourist  plan  is 
the  best.  You  don't  stay  long  enough  to  find  out  what  you 
have  missed,  and  so  go  away  convinced  you  have  seen  every- 
thing worth  seeing.  Great  is  Cook! 

The  sea  was  divine.  Full  tide,  every  color  imaginable. 
The  reef  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  out  makes  the  most  fas- 
cinating line  of  breakers;  as  they  curled  up,  sometimes 
they  were  pure  jade  green;  while  above,  the  wind  blew  the 
white  tops  in  glistening  spray  far  along  over  the  water. 
The  far  sea  was  a  deep  sapphire;  just  inside,  a  line  of  deep 
purple;  inside  that,  green,  yellow,  brown,  pink,  and,  in  cer- 
tain shallow  places,  pure  opal  glints  —  the  whole  being 
indescribable.  No  one,  unless  he  sees  it,  has  or  can  have 
any  idea  of  the  beauty  of  these  islands,  the  perfection  of  color. 

The  Doles'  house  is  an  ideal  house  for  the  seashore. 
It  has  one  immense  room,  forty  by  fifty,  with  sides  that  pull 
up  so  that  two  sides  of  the  room  can  be  out-of-doors.  At 
one  end  of  the  room  is  an  immense  window,  and  before  it 
tall  palms,  and  ferns  of  all  descriptions  hanging  from  the 
roof.  In  one  corner  a  great  wide  lounge,  covered  with 
Turkish  striped  curtains,  and  the  corner  draped  with  cur- 
tains of  the  same  description.  The  whole  room  is  of  reddish 
wood,  with  the  beams  all  inside  and  in  sight.  A  blue- 
covered  sideboard  fills  one  corner,  willow  chairs  everywhere, 
small  and  large  tables,  books,  cushions,  and  long  Jap  chairs 
that  you  can  lie  full  length  hi  and  watch  the  waves  beat 
against  the  shore  just  below. 

In  addition  to  this  huge  room,  there  are  three  bedrooms 
and  a  kitchen;  also  a  dressing-room  or  two.  There  is  a 
stable,  and  fine  trees,  algaroba,  cocoanut  palms,  and  iron- 
wood.  The  rest  is  sand,  white  and  fascinating.  The 
whole  is  situated  right  under  Diamond  Head,  which  rises 
abruptly  at  the  back,  with  only  a  road  between.  On  the 
ocean  side  you  can  see  nothing  but  the  ocean. 

Too  hot  to  sleep  —  about  the  hottest  day  I  have  felt  yet. 
For  a  wonder,  we  haven't  had  a  shower  to-day,  usually  an 
hourly  occurrence. 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  91 

Yesterday  afternoon  we  had  a  good  long  ride.  Went 
up  over  Telegraph  Hill  and  down  to  the  other  side  of  the 
island.  We  came  to  a  lovely  sandy  beach,  covered  with 
shells  and  sea-moss.  How  the  children  would  have  enjoyed 
it!  We  drove  along  the  hard  sand  for  a  couple  of  miles, 
then  struck  the  main  road,  and  home. 

We  had  the  girls  and  the  two  Smith  brothers  over  to 
dinner,  and  with  callers  had  a  very  pleasant  evening. 

To-morrow  at  one  we  start  for  a  most  interesting  trip. 
Mr.  Dillingham  is  to  take  us  for  a  tour  of  the  island.  We 
drive  over  the  Pali,  down  the  other  side  to  Mr.  Judd's, 
where  we  stay  all  night.  The  next  morning  to  a  big  plan- 
tation for  lunch,  from  there  to  Walter  Dillingham's  ranch 
for  the  night,  and  come  home  on  the  railroad  the  next 
morning. 

Mrs.  Judd  is  the  niece  of  the  Attorney- General,  and  has 
a  lovely  place  way  down  on  the  shore. 

After  this  trip  we  can  be  sure  we  have  seen  the  island 
here  pretty  thoroughly. 

I  must  finish  up  this  letter,  for  I  believe  there  is  a  steamer 
going  to-day.  Think  of  the  letters  I  have  written  you! 
The  next  time  I  go  to  a  foreign  clime,  I'll  take  my  family 
along. 

Flag  Day  is  surely  Friday.  Saturday  we  start  for 
Hawaii  and  the  volcano.  Too  bad  that  it  isn't  in  action,  isn't 
it  ?  But  we  shall  see  the  big  crater,  the  twisted  and  broken 
lava,  and  the  wonderful  ferns  —  tree  ferns  galore.  I  shall 
have  lots  to  tell  you  in  my  next. 

Honolulu,  Aug.   5,   1898. 

I  wish  you  and  Father  could  see  this  place.  The  scenery 
is  perfectly  beautiful.  The  islands  have  a  color  peculiar 
to  themselves,  and,  fortunately,  they  have  an  artist.  There 
is  a  Howard  Hitchcock,  who  is  a  wonderful  colorist,  and 
who  has  exhibited  in  Paris  and  Boston,  that  lives  here 
and  has  painted  many  beautiful  scenes.  At  the  Bishop 
Museum,  which  strives  to  preserve  everything  pertaining  to 


92  FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

the  islands,  they  have  several  fine  pictures  of  the  volcanoes 
painted  by  him.  He  finds  ready  sale  for  his  pictures,  and 
charges  prices.  I  would  so  like  something  of  his,  but  a 
mere  sketch  of  his  costs  a  cool  fifty  —  and  I  cannot  afford  it. 

The  wealth  of  color  here  would  make  an  artist's  fortune. 
These  islands  will  be  visited  before  long  by  painters.  Just 
fancy  a  tree  almost  as  big  as  the  elms  on  the  Boston  Com- 
mon completely  covered  with  golden  flowers,  hanging 
like  huge  clusters  of  wistaria  from  every  part  of  the  tree. 
They  call  it  the  golden  shower,  and  it  is  rightly  named. 
Then,  too,  the  Ponciana  regia  is  a  gorgeous  tree.  It 
spreads  out  in  great  flat  branches,  something  like  an  um- 
brella tree;  it  is  of  enormous  width;  and  then  bears  a  great 
cluster  of  somewhat  flat  blossoms  the  most  gorgeous  flame 
color  I  have  ever  seen.  Pure  carmine  and  scarlet,  if  that 
combination  can  appeal  to  your  artist's  soul,  for  the  flowers 
have  all  the  vividness  of  the  scarlet  and  the  richness  of 
the  carmine.  It  fairly  glows. 

The  hibiscus  grows  in  hedges,  and  is  aflame;  the 
alamander  is  that  vine  that  bears  a  yellow  flower  something 
like  a  trumpet  flower  —  Mr.  Jackson  had  it  in  the  greenhouse, 
only  here  it  runs  riot  over  the  very  house-tops.  The  houses, 
with  but  few  exceptions,  are  one-story,  with  a  veranda, 
or  "lania,"  at  the  front,  and  with  nothing  but  a  slatted 
door  like  a  blind.  The  furnishing  is  simple  —  willow 
furniture,  but,  as  a  rule,  very  artistic.  They  take  a  great 
deal  of  pride  in  the  lawns;  keep  them  green  and  well- cut, 
with  here  and  there  great  clumps  of  trees  or  ornamental 
shrubs.  The  avenue  of  palms  is  a  great  feature  in  the 
more  pretentious  places,  and  is  a  great  addition  to  the  land- 
scape. 

I  go  as  often  as  I  can  to  the  stores — Japanese  and 
Chinese.  I  am  picking  up  an  odd  bit  here  and  an  odd  bit 
there  for  the  house.  I  have  had  a  number  of  fans  given 
me,  and  think  I  shall  start  a  fan  collection. 

Yesterday  I  was  at  the  Honolulu  market.  It  is  a  huge, 
open  place,  with  Chinese  principally  as  venders.  I  wouldn't 
eat  some  of  the  fishes;  it  would  seem  as  if  I  were  chewing 


PORTRAIT   OF   MRS.   PARKER  AT  30   YEARS 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  93 

paint,  they  are  such  gorgeous  reds,  greens,  blues,  and  pur- 
ples. I  saw  one  fish  with  first  a  stripe  of  pure  green, 
then  one  of  white,  then  a  blue,  and  then  a  white  followed 
by  a  purple,  and  all  in  perfect  harmony.  No  parrot  was 
ever  more  gorgeous.  There  were  a  half-dozen  equally 
startling,  and  the  Chinamen  had  them  put  side  by  side,  a 
perfect  rainbow  of  color.  Their  lobsters  are  perfectly 
lovely,  a  greeny,  yellowy  effect,  decidedly  aesthetic.  I 
would  like,  if  he  would  keep,  to  hang  one  up,  or  rather  a 
dozen,  in  a  string  beside  my  looking-glass  for  a  color  effect. 
Why  not?  Color  is  color,  even  in  a  lobster.  I  insist  he 
is  decidedly  decorative,  and  would  be  recognized  as  such 
by  Morris  &  Co. 

Frank  went  to  the  Queen's  reception  this  A.  M.  I 
was  not  able  to  go,  and  was  very  sorry,  as  it  was  a  great 
sight.  There  was  the  most  profound  reverence  on  the  part 
of  the  people;  they  knelt  and  kissed  her  hand,  and  every- 
body was  in  tears.  She  was  surrounded  by  her  ladies  in 
waiting;  a  row  of  natives,  in  full  Prince  Albert  costumes 
and  silk  hats,  stood  from  gate  to  door,  and  a  member  of 
her  court  chanted  the  royal  eulogy,  a  sort  of  wail,  that  was 
very  touching,  together  with  the  tears  and  the  sad  faces. 
The  Hawaiians  are  a  fine  people,  gracious  in  manner,  kind, 
and  of  splendid  development.  There  is  a  very  friendly  feeling 
between  most  of  the  whites  and  the  Hawaiians,  a  great 
contrast  to  the  relations  between  the  Southerner  and  the 
negro.  I  hope  President  McKinley  will  be  wise  in  his  gen- 
eration, and  send  the  right  man  here.  There  will  be  bad 
feeling  if  a  very  prudent  man  isn't  chosen  to  be  at  the  head 
of  affairs. 

Be  sure  you  all  mail  letters  to  meet  me  at  Vancouver. 
We  sail  the  thirty-first  of  August,  and,  of  course,  I  shall  be 
wild  for  news  that  is  only  seven  days  old.  Just  fancy! 
Edna's  letter,  which  I  got  Monday,  was  written  the  seventh, 
about  three  weeks  old.  I  feel  far  away  from  my  kith  and  kin. 

We  had  a  lovely  ride  yesterday  over  the  Pali.  For  a 
wonder,  it  didn't  rain.  It  was  a  gorgeous  day,  and  we  saw 


94         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

the  mountains  under  a  totally  different  aspect.  Mr.  Dil- 
lingham  came  for  us  in  a  wagonette,  full  of  good  things  to 
eat  and  cushions  to  make  us  comfortable.  We  had  ginger 
ale  on  ice  and  grapes,  cold  and  delicious.  The  ride  was  a 
delight.  There  were  only  four  of  us,  Mr.  D.,  Miss  Allen, 
Father,  and  I.  We  stopped  at  Mr.  Damon's,  where  they 
had  pineapples  and  lemonade  and  cake  out  on  the  lawn. 
They  had  heard  we  were  coming,  and  were  watching  for 
us.  From  there,  ten  miles  to  the  Swanzis'  home,  it  was 
a  delight.  Close  to  the  shoie  with  the  mountains  darkling 
above  us,  a  perfect  ride.  We  arrived  at  six-fifteen.  There 
were  about  ten  of  us  at  dinner;  then  a  jolly  evening,  and  to 
bed.  The  old  Judd  place,  where  we  are  staying,  is  one  of 
the  oldest  on  the  island.  They  own  over  a  thousand  acres. 
The  scenery  is  magnificent.  The  mountains  rise  straight  up 
above  the  house;  the  lawn  slopes  down  to  the  road,  about 
a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and  the  place  is  full  of  magnificent  trees, 
the  tallest  I  have  ever  seen  on  the  island.  They  are  as  big 
as  our  elms  on  the  Common,  and  you  can't  imagine  how 
lovely  they  are,  a  group  of  fifteen  or  more,  with  cocoanuts 
off  to  the  left,  going  straight  up  into  the  blue. 

No  time  to  finish  this  letter.  Too  muchee  goodee  time. 
We  left  Mrs.  S.'s  about  eleven,  had  a  delicious  lunch,  which 
she  put  up  for  us  and  which  we  ate  beside  the  ocean.  The 
whole  day  was  a  succession  of  beautiful  views,  both  of 
ocean  and  mountains,  for  we  kept  close  to  the  ocean  all 
the  way.  We  stopped  and  picked  up  shells  at  various 
points  all  along  the  trip,  and  after  a  delightful  cloud  effect, 
and  a  narrow  escape  of  a  shower,  arrived  at  half  past  five 
at  a  sugar  plantation,  where  we  spent  the  night.  Mr. 
Ward's  wife  was  away,  but  he  made  us  comfortable.  We 
had  a  two-room  cottage  all  to  ourselves  and  a  delicious 
bath  of  hot  water.  I  tell  you  the  men  on  these  sugar  plan- 
tations live  well,  and  their  servants  are  perfection. 

We  made  an  early  start,  seven-thirty,  and  got  to  Wal- 
ter Dillingham's  ranch  at  one  o'clock.  We  found  twenty 
Japs  waiting  to  lift  the  carriage  over  a  break  in  the  road. 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  95 

It  was  fun  to  climb  down  the  rocks  and  go  along  the  beach 
while  it  was  going  on.  At  the  place  where  we  stopped  we 
had  beer  and  sandwiches,  saw  an  explosion  of  thirty- five 
blasts  the  railroad  men  were  making,  went  up  to  a  native 
place  and  got  four  shell  belts,  which  are  made  there,  and 
then  on  to  the  ranch. 

Walter  D.,  only  about  twenty-three,  is  managing  an 
immense  cattle  ranch,  and  doing  it  finely.  He  served  an 
excellent  lunch,  and  after  we  saw  the  fruit,  stock,  and  chick- 
ens, likewise  his  charming  rooms,  we  were  driven  to  the 
cars,  and  here  we  are.  We  ran  down  a  freight-car,  and 
are  detained,  and  so  I  am  improving  the  time. 

On  the  trip  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  a  tapa  beater, 
a  stone  axe,  fan,  shell  leis,  a  calabash,  stone  lamp,  and  one 
of  their  stone  dishes,  which  they  use  for  a  sort  of  tenpin 
game.  All  of  these  things  are  very  rare,  and  we  consider 
ourselves  fortunate  to  get  hold  of  them. 

How  I  wish  we  had  Mabel  and  her  camera  along!  She 
would  have  gone  wild  over  the  scenery.  It  is  so  beautiful. 

Mr.  Dillingham  has  been  the  most  charming  of  hosts. 
Everything  possible  has  been  done  for  our  comfort,  and 
we  have  had  even  luxuries  on  the  trip.  Miss  Allen  and 
myself  wore  bicycle  suits,  and  have  taken  solid  comfort. 

The  trip  has  done  me  a  world  of  good.  I  am  as  brown 
as  a  berry  and  look  so  well.  You  can't  imagine  how  happy 
I  am  to  feel  that  I  am  really  getting  well  and  strong  again. 
Strange  to  say,  I  have  stood  the  trip  better  even  than  Miss 
Allen.  We  have  been  over  the  ground  where  Mr.  Dilling- 
ham has  just  started  a  big  sugar  plantation.  He  is  the  pro- 
moter of  the  railroad,  and  instrumental  in  the  formation  of 
what  is  known  as  the  Ewa  Sugar  Plantation.  The  new 
plantation  stock  is  just  put  on  the  market,  three  millions, 
and  you  may  know  people's  confidence  in  him,  for  in  five 
days  one-half  of  it  has  been  taken.  He  is  a  power,  and  it 
is  delightful  to  hear  him  tell  the  steps  that  led  up  to  his  in- 
vestments and  the  manner  in  which  he  has  fairly  pushed 
people  into  the  development  of  the  island. 

We  have  a  private  car,  and  our  team  is  on  board;   so 


96         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

you  can  see  we  are  travelling  in  great  style,  despite  our 
bicycle  suits. 

To-morrow  is  flag  raising.  I  do  not  believe  I  shall  see 
much  of  it,  as  this  accident  will  delay  us,  and  we  have  to 
be  packed  and  start  on  our  volcano  trip  Saturday  at  eleven. 

"Off  agin;  on  agin;  gone  agin. — Flanigin." 

We  got  home  about  eight.  Thanks  to  the  accident,  found 
"Ah  Jam,"  our  own  Celestial,  in  a  boiling  rage,  but  managed 
to  get  something  to  eat,  nevertheless.  We  distress  his  orderly 
soul  to  such  an  extent  that  I  expect  he  will  give  thanks  at  his 
joss-house  for  our  departure. 

This  morning  at  eleven  we  started  for  the  Government 
building.  Ceremonies  were  at  high  noon.  We  had  tickets 
to  the  first  balcony,  and,  as  they  were  in  the  front  row  of  seats, 
had  a  splendid  view  of  all  the  exercises.  The  official  stand 
was  built  directly  in  front  of  the  main  entrance,  just  under 
the  balcony.  The  Hawaiian  Guards  were  drawn  up  on 
either  side;  the  U.  S.  troops  way  down  to  the  front  entrance,  a 
solid  column  of  men,  twenty-five  in  a  row.  They  fired  a 
salute  to  the  flag  so  soon  to  come  down  after  the  delivery  of 
papers  to  President  Dole  and  a  short  speech  by  Minister 
Cooper.  Then  played  the  Hawaiian  national  tune,  "Hawaii 
Ponoi,"  and  the  flag  came  slowly  down.  It  was  as  still  as 
death,  and  tears  stood  in  the  eyes  of  nearly  every  one  present. 
A  salute  was  fired,  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  played  by  the 
band,  and  then  the  Stars  and  Stripes  were  slowly  hoisted 
upon  the  four  sides  of  the  building.  A  cheer  went  up,  but 
was  quickly  hushed,  for  every  one  respects  the  feelings  of 
the  natives,  and  tried  not  to  show  too  much  feeling.  The 
whole  scene  was  most  dignified  and  impressive.  I  am  glad 
that  I  was  in  it.  This  republic  will  mean  much  to  me,  and 
if  I  were  younger  and  didn't  have  any  grandchildren  I  should, 
I  think,  settle  here.  It  is  God's  country,  if  ever  there  was  one. 

This  afternoon  has  been  a  hard  one  —  packing.  I  have 
to  provide  for  our  trip,  arrange  so  I  won't  have  to  unpack 
on  my  return,  and  also  provide  for  steamer  travel  and  our 
trip  over  the  mountains  as  well.  What  a  month  is  before  me ! 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  97 

I  shall  be  literally  crammed  with  scenery  —  fancy  a  volcano 
and  the  Canadian  Pacific,  all  in  one  month !  My  next  letter 
will  start  from  Vancouver,  and  will  be  an  account  of  the 
volcano. 

Won't  you  be  thankful  when  these  long  letters  cease? 
You  must  be  all  worn  out,  and  will  rejoice  when  I  return  to 
my  native  land  —  and  a  typewriter.  By  the  way,  before  I 
close,  I  must  tell  you  a  little  adventure  I  had  this  afternoon. 
Everything  was  over  the  bed,  and  I  went  to  pick  up  a  grass- 
hopper and  throw  him  out  of  the  window.  It  didn't  feel 
just  right,  so  I  dropped  him,  and,  as  he  straightened  out 
into  a  combination  of  a  grasshopper  and  dragon-fly  without 
wings,  I  called  Miss  Lawrence.  She  called  out,  "  Don't 
touch  it!  It's  a  scorpion!"  So  you  see  I've  seen  one,  and  a 
lively  one,  too,  for  the  way  he  ran  around  with  his  business 
end  in  air  after  we  put  a  glass  over  him  was  a  caution. 


Hilo,  August  14, 
We  started  bright  and  early  on  Saturday  A.  M.  Many 
friends  came  down  to  the  boat  to  see  us  off,  and  literally 
covered  us  with  leis.  I  had  a  white  carnation,  two  red 
carnations,  a  white  and  red  carnation,  a  yellow  and  white, 
one  of  the  royal  yellow,  and  a  long  green  one  of  fragrant 
leaves  —  I  have  forgotten  its  name.  The  reporter  of  the 
"  Inter-Ocean"  took  a  snap-shot  at  us.  There  was  a  party 
of  students  from  Kamehameha  School,  and  they  sang  in 
Hawaiian  as  the  boat  pulled  out.  It  was  great  fun,  for  the 
wharf  was  crowded  and  everybody  was  cheering  and  waving. 
It  was  a  glorious  steam  the  first  day,  clear  and  bright,  in  sight 
of  islands  all  day  long,  and  I  wasn't  sick.  Didn't  sleep 
very  well,  for  they  tramped  up  and  down  all  night,  after  the 
fashion  of  steamer  tourists ;  and  the  boat  rolled  and  pitched 
past  all  reason. 

Volcano  House,  August  15,  1898. 

Here  we  are  again!  Beautiful  morning,  clear  as  a  bell, 
and  the  great  lava  plain  stretching  out  before  me,  and  the 
smoke  from  the  volcano  rising  like  a  cloud  of  incense  from 
the  centre.  A  real  volcano,  even  if  it  is  half  dead. 


98         FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

We  had  a  lovely  room  at  the  Hilo  House,  a  nice  bath, 
but  nothing  to  eat.  Started  early  in  the  morning,  in  a  wagon- 
ette, Miss  Camp,  Mr.  Pond,  Miss  Allen,  Father,  and  I.  I  rode 
on  the  front  seat  and  looked.  Such  a  landscape  I  never  saw ! 
The  island  is  a  high  plateau,  hardly  eroded  at  all.  Coming 
up  over  the  ascent,  the  rise  of  the  beautiful  flat  road,  as 
black  as  coal,  was  so  gradual  as  hardly  to  be  noticeable. 
Ferns  of  every  description  lined  the  road ;  tree  ferns,  climb- 
ing ferns  running  even  to  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and  the  beau- 
tiful screw  palm,  a  sort  of  palm  with  clusters  of  spiked 
leaves,  here  and  there  and  everywhere.  Down  in  the  hol- 
lows, where  there  was  a  little  more  water,  were  great  clusters 
of  the  wild  banana.  The  trailing  ground-pine  was  every- 
where, growing  to  the  height  of  two  and  three  feet.  The 
road  has  been  built  only  a  few  years,  and  it  was  interesting  to 
study  the  cuttings  in  the  road,  the  little  lava  caves,  made  by 
the  cooling  of  the  upper  crust,  the  deposits  of  ashes,  and  the 
ah-ah  (broken  lava).  Coming  up,  within  seven  miles  of  the 
volcano,  we  were  hailed  all  along  the  road ;  one  lady  brought 
out  a  great  bunch  of  calla  lilies,  twenty-five  in  the  bunch. 
They  blossom  all  the  year  around,  and  grow  like  weeds.  At 
Mrs.  Snow's  they  brought  us  a  pan  of  water  lemons,  and 
Father  a  great  bouquet  of  calla  lilies  and  ferns,  the  rest  of 
us  small  bouquets  of  roses,  heliotrope,  and  ferns.  Next  Mrs. 
Townsend  was  waiting,  and  we  stopped  to  call  upon  her  and 
her  brother,  the  artist,  Howard  Hitchcock.  We  saw  his 
pictures,  and  had  a  delightful  chat  with  him.  When  we 
went  away,  Mrs.  Townsend  picked  me  a  great  bunch  of  pink 
begonia  and  another  of  heliotrope.  Just  fancy  a  bush  of 
heliotrope  as  big  as  a  lilac  bush,  and  crowded  with  blossoms ! 
I  never  saw  such  flowers  and  such  color.  A  hydrangea  not 
a  foot  high  had  fifteen  big  clusters  on  it.  It  looked  exactly  as 
if  some  one  had  picked  a  great  bouquet  and  left  it  on  the 
ground. 

Soon  we  reached  the  Volcano  House.  It  stands  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  old  bed  of  the  volcano, 
a  steep,  precipitous  wall,  covered  with  ferns,  berry  bushes, 
and  low  trees.  At  the  very  foot,  and  stretching  for  miles, 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  99 

you  see  a  black  mass  of  lava,  broken,  piled  every  which  way, 
corrugated,  with  great  seams  and  cracks  running  in  every 
direction.  In  the  very  centre  you  see  a  thick  cloud  of  smoke, 
while  thin,  wavering  lines  of  vapor  are  here  and  there  running 
along  the  crevices.  The  big  smoke  indicates  the  crater,  while 
the  thin  lines  show  that  there  is  still  fire  beneath,  even  close 
by  the  house.  The  crater  is  more  than  six  miles  long  and 
about  five  wide;  the  deep  hole  in  the  very  centre  is  five 
hundred  feet  deep,  with  a  great  crack  or  crevice,  out  of  which 
the  smoke  pours,  the  whole  bowl  being  filled  with  it.  Every 
once  and  awhile  the  wind  whisks  the  vapor  away,  and  you 
see  the  bottom,  all  covered  with  rough  rocks,  and  the  huge 
crevice  out  of  which  the  vapor  rolls  continually.  No  one 
can  go  down  into  the  crater,  because  of  the  sulphurous 
fumes.  It  is  awful  when  the  wind  blows  it  up  into  your 
face,  for  we  are  standing  five  hundred  feet  above. 

To  get  to  the  central  hole  from  the  Volcano  House  is 
quite  a  ride.  You  go  zigzagging  down  the  cliff  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet,  then  on  to  the  bed  of  lava,  which  is  the  most 
confused  and  broken  up  mass  of  slag  that  ever  could  be 
imagined. 

It  is  black,  a  steely  black,  except  in  the  cracks ;  there  the 
sulphur  and  other  deposits  have  colored  it  yellow,  red,  white, 
and  all  shades  of  purple.  In  spots  you  see  great  patches  of 
yellow,  and  find  thick  incrustations  of  sulphur.  But  the 
lava !  Imagine  a  great  mass  of  tar  poured  down  and  twisted 
into  every  imaginable  shape,  big  billows,  rope  twists,  great 
swirls,  and  then  cooling  and  breaking  unevenly,  and  you  have 
the  surface  of  what  must  have  been  little  short  of  hell  itself 
when  it  was  one  red-hot  mass. 

The  lava  field  to-day  is  as  bare  as  your  hand,  save  here 
and  there  a  fern.  The  last  great  flow  was  in  '94,  but  did  not 
reach  far.  Think  of  the  infinite  patience  of  Nature.  The 
lava  will  decay,  lichen  will  creep  over  it,  the  mosses  and  the 
ferns  follow,  then  the  wild  shrubs,  and  the  trees ;  silently  and 
steadily,  soil  will  be  preparing;  the  stream  will  begin  to 
trickle  down,  eroding  the  lava  more  and  more,  and  in  a  thou- 
sand years,  perhaps,  a  great  coffee  and  sugar  plantation 


ioo        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

with  busy  laborers  hard  at  work  will  cover  what  was  once  a 
boiling,  dashing  sea  of  fire.  "O  God,  a  thousand  years  in 
Thy  sight  are  but  as  yesterday." 

August  17,  1898. 

It  is  raining  and  misty  and  the  air  is  full  of  moisture. 
Everything  we  put  on  here  is  wet,  and  it  is  a  wonder  that 
everybody  doesn  't  get  his  death  of  cold. 

Yesterday  afternoon  we  went  over  to  the  sulphur  holes 
and  were  nearly  stifled.  They  are  interesting,  but  not  so 
much  so  as  the  Yellowstone;  there  are  no  formations  here. 
In  the  evening,  we  had  singing.  I  recited,  and  Professor 
Ingals  gave  us  a  tame  bear  and  monkey  and  hand  organ 
exhibition.  I  wish  —  oh,  how  I  wish  —  you  were  all  here! 

Hilo. 

Got  down  about  one  P.  M.  A  ride  of  thirty-one  miles. 
We  stay  here  to-night  and  leave  at  eight  to-morrow  on  the 
boat.  Hilo  is  a  town  of  gardens.  It  is  very  hot,  and  rains 
almost  continuously;  so  the  trees  are  very  large  and  the 
flowers  very  beautiful.  I  shall  hope  to  get  a  look  at  it  after 
a  while,  but  at  present  I  am  resting.  Fortunately,  the  road 
from  the  volcano  down  is  a  Government  one,  and  very  good, 
indeed.  It  is  made  of  lava,  covered  with  black  sand,  which 
packs  down  hard  as  a  floor. 

The  children  and  Mrs.  Townsend  were  out  with  flowers 
for  us  as  we  passed,  and  I  also  saw  Mr.  Hitchcock  for  a  few 
moments.  I  am  going  to  have  one  of  his  marines,  much  to 
my  delight,  a  picture  of  Diamond  Head,  where  we  have 
passed  so  many  pleasant  hours. 

Wailua,  Maui  Islands, 

August  20,  1898. 

We  started  at  eight  o'clock  Thursday  A.  M.  for  Maui. 
The  night  before  we  sailed  we  went  for  a  drive  to  Rain- 
bow Falls,  a  beautiful  fall  over  a  cave,  and  later  to  pick 
out  some  photographs.  Mr.  Hitchcock  has  the  most  beau- 
tiful pictures  I  have  ever  seen;  they  are  wonderful  works 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  101 

of  art.  I  bought  several  photographs,  and  when  you  come 
on  you  shall  see  some  of  the  beautiful  scenes.  I  was  so 
glad  to  get  them. 

We  landed  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  There  wasn't 
any  excitement  at  all.  For  a  wonder  it  was  perfectly  smooth, 
the  most  unheard  of  thing  in  the  world;  usually,  the  boat 
pitches  and  tosses,  and  you  are  just  grabbed  and  gotten  on 
shore  anyway  and  anyhow.  We  took  carriages  and  drove 
seven  miles,  got  to  bed  about  five,  slept  until  seven,  and  up 
to  breakfast  at  eight.  We  have  a  very  good  hotel  here,  kept 
by  a  German;  he  is  also  a  butcher,  a  happy  combination, 
for  I  got  my  first  beefsteak  on  the  island  here.  The  meat 
is  something  dreadful  in  Honolulu,  and  I  do  not  wonder, 
for  most  of  it  is  shipped  from  the  other  islands,  and  the  manner 
of  shipping  is  the  worst  I  have  ever  seen.  There  are  no  docks 
and  no  wharves  on  the  island  of  Maui,  and  all  freight  is  car- 
ried in  great  wide  flat  boats,  armed  by  natives  who  form  the 
crew. 

The  cattle  are  lassoed  around  the  horns  by  a  man  on  horse- 
back, who  then  dashes  into  the  water,  dragging  the  poor  cow 
after  him.  He  carries  the  end  of  the  rope  to  the  boat,  and  the 
men  pull  the  animal  up  close  and  fasten  the  rope  around 
some  pins  in  the  side.  This  brings  the  animal's  head 
close  up  to  the  boat,  with  the  neck  stretched  in  the  most 
painful  manner,  the  nose  up  in  the  air,  half  the  time  bleed- 
ing, the  piteous,  wide-open  eyes  telling  how  the  creature 
suffers  as  she  turns  and  twists  and  tries  to  get  away.  About 
eight  cattle  are  lashed  to  each  boat,  which  is  then  pulled 
to  the  side  of  the  steamer,  a  matter  of  a  half-mile.  Strug- 
gling and  kicking,  the  poor  beasts  are  brought  to  the  side ; 
a  sort  of  cradle  is  passed  under  their  bodies,  and  they 
are  swung  over  the  side  to  the  deck,  thrown  down,  the 
harness  pulled  out,  and  then. a  native  twists  their  tails  until 
they  struggle  to  their  feet  and  are  dragged  to  the  side,  tied 
tight  to  the  railing,  to  suffer  in  seasick  misery  for  another  day 
and  night.  Talk  about  cruelty  to  animals!  I  never  saw 
anything  worse  in  my  life.  It  is  a  disgrace  to  the  steamboat 
company  that  they  permit  such  a  thing.  I  tell  you  under 


102        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

the  new  order  of  things  that  won't  long  continue.     What 
won 't  men  do  for  money  ? 

Maunaolu  Seminary, 

August  22,  1898. 

We  had  a  fine  time  at  Wailua,  and,  best  of  all,  something 
good  to  eat.  We  had  to  pay  for  it,  but  sometimes  we  have 
to  pay  and  get  nothing.  After  breakfast  on  Friday  we  started 
for  lao  Valley,  one  of  the  most  lovely  on  the  island.  It  is 
rather  narrow,  and  the  road  runs  along  the  side  high  above 
the  brawling  stream  filled  with  rocks,  almost  a  N.  H.  stream, 
except  that  instead  of  granite  boulders  there  were  only  lava 
rocks,  black  and  brown.  We  drove  as  far  as  Miss  Nape's, 
one  of  the  Hawaiian  pupils  in  the  Institute.  We  stopped 
at  her  house,  left  the  carriage,  and  went  the  rest  of  the  way 
on  horses.  My  dear,  it  would  curdle  your  blood  to  see  the 
road  and  what  I  went  over  and  through  that  day.  When  I 
return,  I  shall  ride  anything  from  a  tandem  to  Tom's  most 
spirited  steed.  The  road  wound  up  an  almost  perpendicular 
hill,  the  trail  so  washed  out  that  there  was  nothing  but  rocks 
left;  over  boulders  two  feet  high;  along  the  very  edge  of  a 
precipice  sheer  down  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet;  through 
three  streams,  one  quite  wide  and  full  of  moss-covered  stones. 
The  view  was  glorious  (Father  got  off  his  horse  to  see  it  better, 
he  said),  great  hills  on  either  side,  five  and  six  thousand  feet 
high;  great  barren  rocks  with  needle-like  pinnacles,  and 
flying  buttresses  of  smaller  hills  stretching  down  into  the 
valley.  We  were  on  a  high  tableland,  in  the  centre  a  grassy 
plateau,  and  under  the  great  cocoa  trees  we  ate  our  lunch. 

Miss  Nape  came  as  our  guide,  and  told  us  the  legends 
and  stories  of  the  valley.  She  went  down  the  gorge  and 
picked  red  roses  and  ferns,  and  showed  me  how  to  braid 
a  fern  lei  (wreath).  We  had  a  very  jolly  time,  and  about 
five  started  for  the  town.  I  won't  say  anything  about  the 
return,  which  was  ten  times  worse  than  the  ascent.  Father 
got  off,  but  I  stuck  to  the  animal,  and  arrived  at  the  bottom 
safely.  The  view  looking  down  the  valley  out  upon  the 
sea  was  the  most  exquisite  I  have  seen  ye,t.  The  soil  of 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  103 

Maui  is  perfectly  red,  and,  as  we  looked  out  from  between 
our  two  great  dark  green  barriers,  the  landscape  lay  glow- 
ing in  the  sunlight,  the  blue  of  the  sea,  the  green  of  the 
cane-fields,  white  sand  heaps,  red  barren  fields,  and  the  dark 
green  of  the  hills  all  combined  in  one  mosaic  of  glowing 
color.  I  never  understood  the  term  " jewelled  landscape" 
before;  it  was  a  gem  indeed.  How  I  wish  you  all  could 
see  it!  I  can't  half  enjoy  it  for  wanting  you  all  to  share  it. 

Saturday  I  lay  low  all  the  afternoon,  and  read  a  novel. 
Judge  Kalna,  a  native  gentleman  of  culture  and  means, 
invited  us  to  lunch.  He  has  a  beautiful  place,  filled  with 
old  Hawaiian  furniture,  great  palm  trees,  and  open  lanias, 
where  we  took  our  lunch.  We  each  had  yellow  plumaria 
wreaths,  or  leis,  beautifully  made.  We  had  poi  served  in 
wooden  bowls,  fine  fish,  cocoanut  water  iced,  strawberries, 
green  cocoanuts — in  short,  a  characteristic  native  lunch,  beau- 
tifully served.  Father  went  with  Miss  Judd,  sister  of  the 
former  chamberlain  to  the  King,  to  see  some  wonderful 
tapa  and  the  Gilbert  Island  natives,  who  weave  mats.  She 
sent  me  one,  a  beauty,  which  I  suppose  you  will  want  upon 
my  return,  but  which  it  is  needless  to  say  you  -won't  get. 

I  forgot  to  tell  you  that  at  Miss  Nape's  I  was  presented 
with  a  lovely  Hawaiian  mat,  made  out  of  the  pandanus. 
I  shall  have  to  have  a  Hawaiian  corner  in  the  house,  I  am 
having  so  many  beautiful  things  given  me. 

Then  a  scramble  for  the  train,  and  in  the  most  primitive 
of  cars  we  rode  ten  miles  to  Paia,  where  a  wagonette  was 
awaiting  us  for  a  drive  of  eight  miles  to  this  lovely  school, 
where  we  are  to  be  guests  for  a  few  days. 

Mauna  Loa  is  a  beautiful  mountain.  It  slopes  gradually, 
and  still  is  so  steep  that  the  horses  had  to  walk  nearly  every 
step  of  the  way  up  to  the  Seminary.  It  was  a  very  dusty 
ride;  we  were  covered  thick  with  the  red  soil.  The  view 
of  the  two  bays  below,  one  on  either  side  of  the  island,  was 
very  beautiful,  as  were  the  cloud  effects  and  the  grand  old 
mountains  we  were  climbing. 

We  received  a  very  warm  welcome  from  Mrs.  Watson 
and  Miss  Alexander,  who  are  in  charge  here.  We  have 


104        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

pleasant  rooms  opening  out  upon  a  porch  covered  with 
passion  flower  vines  in  bloom,  and  everything  is  done  to 
make  us  comfortable. 

This  is  a  school  for  native  girls.  They  have  about 
seventy  when  the  school  is  in  session.  Mrs.  Watson  has 
just  been  showing  me  some  beautiful  work  that  they  do  — 
hats,  mats,  straw  for  bonnets,  drawn  work,  crochet,  hem- 
stitching, bead  and  seed  work  of  various  kinds.  In  addition 
to  this,  they  learn  all  kinds  of  housework  and  lessons  besides. 
They  also  raise  turkeys  and  chickens  and  have  a  garden. 
The  tuition  is  only  fifty  dollars  a  year,  so  much  is  given 
in  the  way  of  scholarships,  etc. 

I  have  secured  quite  a  number  of  things  here  for  the 
museum,  specimens  of  the  braids  they  make,  and  some 
mats.  Miss  Alexander  gave  me  a  beautiful  piece  of  tapa, 
yellow;  it  is  a  very  old  piece,  so  I  am  exceedingly  fortunate 
to  get  it.  The  native  things  are  becoming  very  scarce,  and 
one  can  hardly  get  a  thing  for  love  or  money. 

Father  and  a  party  of  fourteen  started  for  the  volcano 
yesterday  (to-day  is  Tuesday),  and  so  I  am  alone.  Mr. 
Dickey,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Wallace,  has  gone  with  them. 
Father  was  very  fortunate,  for  Mr.  Dickey  has  been  to  the 
volcano  forty  times.  The  ride  was  so  long  that  I  did  not 
dare  attempt  it.  Mr.  Baldwin,  a  sugar  planter  here,  gave 
Father  his  mule  to  ride,  and  the  keys  to  his  summer  house 
at  Olinda,  just  half-way  up  the  mountain-side.  They  are 
to  stay  there  to-night  and  come  down  in  the  morning.  Peo- 
ple are  so  nice  here.  In  the  mean  time,  I  read,  rest,  and 
talk  with  the  teachers,  who  are  a  very  delightful  company 
of  women. 

Expect  Father  and  the  rest  this  morning.  Had  a  tele- 
phone from  Olinda,  saying  that  they  had  a  magnificent  time. 
You  should  have  seen  Father  mounted  on  his  mule.  He 
looked  like  Sancho  Panza.  They  had  to  carry  provisions 
on  pack-mules,  their  blankets  behind  them,  done  up  in  oil- 
cloth for  fear  of  rain.  This  volcano  is  a  tremendous  one; 
you  could  put  all  of  New  York  City  into  the  yawning  depth 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  105 

of  Haleakala.  Isn't  it  a  shame  that  I  can't  see  it?  But 
to  go  through  rain  and  shine  up  a  terrific  road,  and  to  sleep 
on  the  floor  of  a  stone  hut  all  night  where  there  was  no  fire 
and  it  was  colder  than  Greenland,  was  too  much  for  an 
invalid,  and  so  I  didn't  urge  the  point. 

Hawaiian  Hotel,  Honolulu. 

"Here  we  are  again!"  back  in  Honolulu,  the  first  step 
towards  a  return  to  my  native  land  —  not  to  speak  of  my 
children  and  grandchildren.  We  were  delighted  to  find  a 
lot  of  letters  awaiting  us.  It  was  good  to  hear  from  home, 
I  tell  you,  and  the  dear  ones  once  more.  So  my  Katrina  is 
walking.  Good  for  her!  Won't  she  run  away!  If  she  is 
anything  like  her  grandma,  look  for  her  in  Boston;  don't 
spend  your  time  hunting  around  Brookline.  How  I  long 
to  see  her! 

We  arrived  on  the  steamer  this  A.  M.  It  seems  good 
to  get  back  to  civilization  once  more.  We  have  two  lovely 
rooms  opening  out  on  a  broad  piazza,  and  I  expect  to  do 
lots  of  resting  for  the  next  three  days. 

Father  had  a  most  exciting  trip  up  to  the  volcano  (to 
return  to  Wednesday),  and  his  various  mishaps  have  been 
dribbling  out  all  the  week.  He  was  soaked  to  the  skin, 
thrown  over  his  mule's  head  twice,  lost  his  way  once.  He 
has  a  black-and-blue  spot  on  his  hip  about  ten  by  twelve, 
and  it  is  a  picture  to  see  him  sit  down.  Luckily,  he  selected 
a  soft  place  for  his  somersault,  or  he  wouldn't  be  here  to 
tell  the  tale.  One  lady  fell  off  her  horse,  Mr.  Pond  was 
thrown,  Mr.  Dickey  got  lost  in  the  crater  and  did  not  get 
back  to  camp  until  twelve,  and  one  of  the  horses  got  loose 
and  strayed  away.  They  all  raved  over  the  scenery,  the 
wonders  of  the  volcano,  the  great  cinder  piles,  the  enormous 
dykes,  and  the  sunrise,  so  I  suppose  it  paid,  in  spite  of  all. 

Thursday  A.  M.  we  started  down  the  mountains  for  our 
return  trip,  took  the  cars  to  Wailua,  were  met  there  by  a 
carriage,  and  after  a  pleasant  drive  of  three  miles  came  to 
a  Mr.  Kiliacai's,  a  native  teacher,  who  had  invited  us  there 
for  a  night.  Mr.  K.  had  a  luau,  native  feast,  for  us 


io6        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

down  at  the  beach,  a  broad,  beautiful  sand  beach.  Most 
of  the  party  went  in  bathing,  while  I  sat  in  a  boat  on  shore 
and  enjoyed  the  ocean  and  the  sky.  They  covered  hot 
stones  with  tea  leaves,  then  two  little  pigs  were  filled  with 
hot  stones  and  put  on  the  tea  leaves  in  the  pit.  Leaves 
covered  them,  then  came  a  layer  of  fish,  more  tea  leaves, 
hot  stones,  and  the  whole  covered  with  seaweeds  and  left  to 
cook. 

Under  a  palm  leaf  canopy  was  spread  a  large  braided 
mat,  down  the  centre  were  tea  leaves,  arranged  in  an  artis- 
tic pattern.  On  this  were  bread,  butter,  bananas,  watermelon, 
poi,  cheese,  and  cake.  We  all  squatted  on  the  mat,  and 
the  pig  and  fish  were  cut  up  and  passed  around  on  plates. 
We  ate  poi  with  our  fingers  —  and  pig,  also.  There  were 
native  girls  who  waved  the  palm  over  us  to  keep  the  flies 
away,  and  a  group  of  native  boys  and  girls  sang  and  played 
the  Hawaiian  songs  and  music. 

We  found  some  beautiful  shells  on  the  beach,  sea-mosses 
and  funny  disks  —  sea  porcupines,  I  think;  then  drove 
home.  In  the  evening  we  had  more  music,  ice-cream;  and 
some  of  the  natives  danced  the  Hoola. 

The  next  A.  M.,  sick  as  I  was,  I  insisted  upon  moving 
on.  We  had  a  delightful  drive  of  twenty-five  miles  from 
W.  to  Lahaina.  It  was  along  the  cliffs,  fine  road,  and  the 
sea  dashing  against  the  rocky  walls  in  great  waves  six  feet 
high.  We  were  on  the  dry  side  of  the  island,  and  there 
wasn't  a  bit  of  vegetation.  Great  red,  barren  rocks  inter- 
spersed with  cinders,  violet,  grey,  and  red,  piled  and  tumbled 
together  in  one  awful  pile.  It  looked  as  if  some  giant  had 
literally  peppered  the  ground  with  rocks  of  every  kind 
and  description. 

We  stopped  in  Lahaina  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Abbott, 
who  have  charge  of  a  boys'  school  there.  Lahaina  is  the 
famous  old  town  of  whaling  times,  and  has  some  of  the 
oldest  houses  on  the  islands.  There  are  ruins  of  adobe 
houses,  and  the  old  missionary  places,  looking  like  a  bit 
of  New  England.  Built  utterly  regardless  of  the  climate, 
they  stand  as  prim  and  precise  as  if  in  Salem  town,  and 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  107 

you  expect  to  see  Joshua  Pryne  written  over  the  door. 
Lahaina  is  given  over  to  the  sugar  industry  almost  entirely, 
and  sugar  cane  even  lined  the  principal  streets,  coming 
down  into  every  vacant  lot. 

We  had  a  jolly  time  with  Mrs.  Abbott  and  her  brother 
—  her  husband  was  away.  We  left  their  hospitable  door 
at  about  five  for  a  drive  around  town  before  the  steamer 
arrived. 

Chinese,  Japs,  Hawaiians,  everybody,  out  of  doors, 
children  without  end.  The  Chinese  babies  are  a  joy  for- 
ever; they  are  such  excellent  imitations  of  the  dolls  that 
I  want  to  buy  some  and  carry  them  home.  I  just  long  to 
see  Francis  in  his  Chinese  suit;  he  will  be  too  cunning! 
I  shall  shave  his  head  and  leave  only  a  crown  piece  to  make 
him  complete. 

The  trees  are  the  largest  I  have  seen  here.  Great  bread- 
fruit trees  and  no  end  of  cocoanut  palms.  At  the  school 
they  have  everything  —  figs,  dates,  pomegranates,  guavas, 
alligator  pears,  oranges,  pines,  and  all  immense  trees.  The 
fruit  lies  on  the  ground  for  the  pigs  and  cattle  to  eat.  I 
saw  a  beautiful  tamarind  tree  full  of  fruit;  coffee  trees,  and 
sugar  cane  without  end. 

We  visited  the  Gardener  Islanders,  who  live  in  straw  huts, 
and  saw  them  weaving  hats.  Called  on  an  old  Hawaiian 
judge,  who  has  one  of  the  loveliest  places  in  town.  He 
gave  me  an  immense  calabash  in  fine  condition. 

I  added  greatly  to  my  collection  here  of  coffee,  cane, 
bamboo  cane,  fibre  from  the  Gardener  Islanders,  a  polished 
cocoanut  cup,  a  keyboard  of  Koa  wood,  coffee  beans, 
willie-willie  beans,  an  old  flint  musket  of  Revolutionary 
times,  and  lots  of  lava  specimens.  I  shall  have  to  charter 
a  steamer  to  carry  away  my  plunder. 

We  left  the  wharf  about  nine  in  the  bright  moonlight, 
and  rowed  to  the  steamer,  which  lay,  a  thing  of  beauty, 
about  a  mile  from  shore.  The  electric  lights,  the  cries  of 
the  boatmen,  the  hurry  and  bustle  of  seeing  that  our  numer- 
ous bags  were  on  board,  our  clean,  sweet-smelling  berth 
on  deck,  the  door  wide  open  so  I  could  see  the  clouds  and 


io8        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

the  ocean,  the  tinkle  of  a  Hawaiian  banjo  —  and  blessed 
sleep  until  five  o'clock,  when  we  landed,  drove  to  the  hotel, 
found  our  letters.  If  one  could  travel  without  trunks,  how 
happy  one  could  be! 

Did  you  ever  know  such  devotion?  I  am  sitting  up  in 
bed  to  get  this  off  by  the  "China,"  which  came  in  this 
morning  and  goes  out  this  afternoon.  I  did  not  hear  until 
late  last  night  that  she  was  expected;  so  when  I  heard  her 
whistle  at  four  I  said,  "My  dear  ones  will  get  the  letter 
quicker,"  and  so  here  I  am,  five  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

We  sail  to-morrow,  "Miowera,"  Vancouver;  the  "  China" 
goes  by  the  way  of  San  Francisco.  Had  an  awfully  busy 
day  yesterday  and  Sunday,  too.  Am  nearly  packed  for 
home.  Yesterday  we  drove  three  hours  in  the  morning, 
doing  our  errands,  and  in  the  afternoon  selected  pictures. 

We  have  a  fine  selection  of  photographs,  and  I  can  give 
you  quite  an  idea  of  the  islands  from  them. 

Things  are  pouring  in  for  our  school  collection,  and 
this  morning  I  must  go  down  and  superintend  getting  that 
ready.  It  will  be  a  great  thing,  but  I  do  begrudge  the 
time  it  will  take  to  see  it  properly  packed. 

Beautiful  as  this  place  is,  much  as  I  enjoy  it,  it  is  too 
far  from  you,  and  my  heart  stands  still  as  I  sometimes  think 
of  what  might  happen. 

Pacific  Ocean,  September,  1898. 

I  have  determined  to  write  a  letter  here.  I  will  not  be 
so  lazy.  I  will  do  something  unusual. 

We  are  three  nights  and  two  days  nearer  you,  my  chil- 
dren, and  I  begin  to  dream  of  home  and  the  babies.  As 
a  Boston  celebrity  once  said,  I  shall  say:  "Thank  God, 
I  am  once  more  on  terra  cotta."  Not  that  I  am  seasick, — 
I  haven't  had  even  a  qualm, —  but  that  I  am  not  within 
telegraphic  communication.  That  has  been  the  worst  of 
the  business,  that  I  couldn't  reach  you  or  couldn't  be  reached 
except  by  a  steamer. 

We  had  a  very  busy  three  days  before  the  steamer 
started,  packing  and  all,  and  I  was  thoroughly  worn  out. 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  109 

We  had  four  large  boxes  of  specimens  and  things  for  the 
school,  three  trunks  and  a  telescope,  not  to  speak  of  bags. 
Then,  too,  there  were  good-byes  to  be  said  and  people  to 
see. 

The  boat  went  out  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  much 
to  our  sorrow;  but  there  were  a  goodly  number  of  our 
friends  down  to  see  us  off. 

You  should  have  seen  the  leis  I  had  —  fourteen,  and 
they  covered  me  up  to  my  ears.  Mr.  Dillingham  brought 
two  dozen  photographs  showing  the  history  of  annexation, 
the  coming  of  the  troops,  and  the  different  ships  of  the  navy. 
Mrs.  Coleman  left  a  lovely  mat  and  a  girdle  in  my  state- 
room (native  work).  Mr.  Miller  brought  fruits  and  leis. 

Monday  P.  M. 

Dark,  cold,  dismal.  Three  days  more.  How  I  count 
the  hours  as  they  pass!  I  can  hardly  wait  until  I  get  all 
your  letters,  and  know  you  are  safe  and  well. 

Thursday  A.  M.,  Eleven  O'clock. 

Man  proposes,  but  the  weather  disposes.  Here  we  are, 
sixteen  miles  from  land  —  and  a  deep  fog.  We  are  dead- 
still,  not  an  engine  moving,  and  no  knowing  when  we  shall 
arrive.  I  have  been  in  bed  the  better  part  of  three  days 
with  a  desperate  backache;  so  life  hasn't  been  wildly  excit- 
ing, to  say  the  least. 

I  have  about  read  my  eyes  out;  if  it  hadn't  been  for 
books,  I  should  have  given  up,  for  I  am  looking  forward 
to  your  dear  letters,  which  I  know  will  await  me  either  at 
Victoria  or  Vancouver. 

We  shall  telegraph  as  soon  as  we  land,  so  your  minds 
will  be  at  rest,  for  I  am  sure  you  will  be  glad  to  hear  of  our 
safe  anival,  and  that  we  are  once  more  in  dear  old  America. 

The  fog  is  thicker  than  ever,  and  the  fog  whistle  blows 
every  five  minutes.  Victoria  fifty  miles  away,  according 
to  the  latest  reports. 

I  see  the  babies  continually.  Katherine  keeps  hopping 
in,  her  little  curls  flying  back,  and  sits  on  the  floor,  look- 


no        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

ing  gravely  at  me.  Francis  stares  at  me  from  his  high-chair 
at  the  window,  then  breaks  into  a  happy  chuckle  that 
shakes  him  all  over.  Dorothy  is  eating  her  din-din,  and 
doubling  up  her  little  fists  in  her  cradle.  I  wish  I  had  all 
three  this  blessed  minute,  and  wouldn't  I  hug  them! 

Later— Three  P.  M. 

Fog-horn  still  blowing.  Still  becalmed.  It  begins  to 
look  as  if  we  shouldn't  get  in  in  time  for  the  train  that  leaves 
at  one  to-morrow. 

Seven  O'clock. 

We  ought  to  be  landing,  and  here  we  are  going  out  to 
sea,  for  the  captain  feels  we  are  too  near  land  for  safety. 
I  don't  believe  we  can  start  before  Saturday  now,  and  that 
means  that  we  can't  get  home  before  Thursday,  unless 
by  a  miracle  we  make  connections  at  St.  Paul. 

Eight   O'clock. 

Still  foggy;  still  the  fog-horn  making  night  hideous. 
One  of  the  men  said  they  were  becalmed  and  befogged  a 
week  once!  "Angels  and  ministers  of  grace,  defend  us!" 
What  to  do? 

Friday,  Eleven  A.  M. 

About  five  this  morning  the  fog  lifted,  and  we  got  into 
the  strait;  now  we  are  slowly  forging  ahead.  The  fog- 
horn is  still  sending  out  its  unearthly  moan  over  the  white 
and  desolate  waters. 

The  birds  are  coming  thick  around  the  vessel,  a  dozen 
different  kinds,  coming  by  the  hundreds.  There  was  a  kind 
of  tern  about  the  ship  last  night,  so  tame  that  several  were 
caught  by  the  passengers.  Everybody  is  cross  and  every- 
body is  cold,  so  you  can  imagine  it's  a  gloomy  boat. 

I'll  never  go  so  far  from  you  all  again,  never. 

Four  O'clock. 

Not  into  Victoria  even  yet,  and  nobody  knows  when 
we  shall  get  in. 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  in 

7P.M. 

At  Victoria  at  last!  Father  has  gone  to  telegraph,  so 
I  know  that  you  will  know  we  are  safe  and  sound,  before 
many  hours.  I  am  so  glad  that  I  begin  to  feel  better 
already. 

On  the  Train,  Saturday  P.  M. 

All  my  blue  devils  have  vanished.  There  isn't  a  hap- 
pier woman  in  the  country.  "Richard  is  himself  again. " 

Such  a  batch  of  letters  as  I  found  awaiting  me.  My 
soul  has  found  peace,  for  I  know  it  is  well  with  you. 

We  are  rushing  along  through  the  dear  old  scenes  so 
familiar  to  me.  Goldenrod,  birches,  elms,  and  spruces. 
I'm  in  my  "  ain  countree"  once  more.  I  could  kiss  the 
clover,  it  is  so  a  part  of  my  life.  Palms  are  beautiful, 
Bougainvillea  gorgeous,  but  there  is  nothing  like  the  things 
that  have  been  a  part  of  one's  life  for  so  long.  I  feel  the 
beauty  of  other  lands.  I  love  my  own. 

"Breathes  there  the  man,  with  soul  so  dead, 
Who  never  to  himself  hath  said, 
This  is  my  own,  my  native  land!  " 

It  is  a  perfect  fall  day.  The  air  is  cool  and  filled  with 
a  hazy  smoke  that  shrouds  everything  as  in  mist.  There 
must  be  great  forest  fires  in  the  mountains.  Just  now  the 
sun  sets  behind  the  hills,  a  great  fiery  globe,  and  outlined 
there  against  a  wonderful  yellow-grey  sky.  It  was  a  beau- 
tiful effect,  one  that  I  have  never  seen  outside  of  Japanese 
pictures.  The  water  is  a  pure  blue-green,  and  the  moun- 
tains are  standing  like  ghost  ridges,  fainter  and  fainter  as 
they  fade  away  and  become  a  part  of  the  almost  universal 
grey.  The  purple  asters  are  beginning  to  come  out;  the 
fireweed  covers  all  the  clearing  with  patches  of  silvery 
white ;  and  in  the  lowlands  the  maples  flare  like  fire. 

We  haven't  left  the  Sound  yet,  and  we  see  great  brown 
marshes  with  patches  of  cat-tails  and  sluggish,  brackish 
streams  running  through  them.  Then  we  come  close  to  a 
hill,  "rock-ribbed  and  ancient  as  the  sun,"  with  yellow  ferns 
and  birches  climbing  up  its  rocky  sides,  a  flaming  bit  of 


ii2  FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

color.  Now  the  woods  close  about  us,  and  we  see  into 
their  very  heart,  dim,  cool  vistas,  with  here  and  there  a 
flaming  signal  telling  that  the  sun  stirs  and  quickens  even 
their  peaceful  serenity.  I  can  never  forgive  the  stumps 
and  blackened  trunks  that  stand  gaunt  and  forbidding 
against  the  sky.  They  are  hideous.  The  briars  refuse  to 
cover  them,  and  even  the  friendly  bushes  seem  to  shrink 
from  them.  They  are  like  the  sins  of  youth,  once  so  beau- 
tiful, now  so  uncompromisingly  hateful.  They  are  like 
sins,  too,  in  that  it  takes  so  long  for  them  to  decay  and  be 
swept  away;  wind  and  weather  cannot  uproot  or  disinte- 
grate them;  like  King  Lear's  sorrow,  they  will  not  down; 
in  the  fairest  landscape  of  the  soul  they  are  a  blot  forever. 

Sunday  A.  M. 

I'll  take  back  what  I  said  about  the  stumps  last  night. 
We  passed  a  great,  steep  hill,  where  every  trunk  and  every 
stump  was  on  fire,  trailing  banners  of  smoke;  and  showers  of 
fire  scattered  from  the  blazing  trunks  or  shot  upward  from 
the  immense  stumps,  spitting  fire  geysers.  It  was  a  grandly 
beautiful  sight,  and  as  we  rounded  a  curve  in  the  moun- 
tains, and  only  a  red  glow  was  left  striving  triumphantly 
over  the  hill-top,  I  knew  that  the  purgatorial  fire  of  true 
penitence  would  wipe  away  their  gaunt  outlines,  and  out 
of  their  ashes,  experience,  would  come  that  which  would 
strengthen  and  nourish  and  quicken  the  tender  growths 
at  their  feet. 

My  desolate  tree  trunks  are  beautiful  in  the  sunlight; 
it  is  their  life  for  another's,  and  "  greater  love  hath  no  man. " 

We  are  passing  through  the  Selkirks,  slowly  crawling 
up  and  up;  a  leaden  grey  mountain  stream  passes  swiftly 
and  silently  below  us,  a  hundred  feet  or  more.  The  whole 
sides  of  the  mountains  have  been  swept  by  fire;  the  trunks 
stand  thick  to  soften  the  outline  of  their  rocky  sides.  Patches 
of  snow  begin  to  appear  on  the  distant  mountain- tops; 
rocks  and  rocks  and  rocks  everywhere,  the  great  storehouse 
for  future  generations  of  farmers;  they  are  the  mills,  the 
millers,  and  the  wheat,  for  they  patiently  grind  them- 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  113 

selves,  and  generously  give  for  others.  Isn't  that  the  key- 
note of  all  nature?  An  everlasting  gift  for  the  benefit  of 
something  else. 

Dearest  and  best,  how  I  wish  you  could  see  these  great, 
silent  sun  fields,  stretches  of  brownish-white,  that  lift  them- 
selves above  the  green  of  the  fir  trees  that  cover  the  moun- 
tain-sides. Great  solitary  peaks  that  tower  into  the  sky, 
everlastingly  alone,  only  the  open  sky  above  them,  neither 
hearing  nor  heeding  the  brawling,  restless  stream  at  their 
feet. 

"  'God's  peace  is  everlasting' 
Are  the  dream  words  of  their  rest." 

I've  seen  my  first  glacier.  A  circle  of  grey  rocks  rising 
in  sharp  peaks,  bare  as  your  hand,  not  a  trace  of  verdure. 
A  great  lake  of  snow,  and,  running  out  where  the 
peaks  come  closer  together  at  each  end,  a  river  of  snow, 
grey-white,  in  some  places  smooth,  in  others  twisted  and 
drifted.  A  great,  desolate,  isolated  pile  that  you  would 
never  suppose  was  the  source  of  all  the  greenness  and 
beauty  below.  Out  of  the  sides  of  the  glacier  are  tiny  rib- 
bons of  foam  that  look  like  silvery  threads  streaming  down 
the  steep  declivities.  Some  of  the  lateral  basins  are  free 
of  snow,  and  you  realize  the  grinding  force  of  the  ice  when 
you  see  the  great  piles  of  gravel  cover  the  bottom  and  sides 
of  the  fissure. 

Now  I  have  seen  the  two  great  agents  at  work  chang- 
ing the  face  of  the  globe.  Fire  and  ice,  one  building  up, 
one  tearing  down. 

We  have  crossed  the  divide,  and  the  snow  peaks  I  can 
see  at  the  end  of  the  valley  standing  like  a  ghostly  barrier; 
the  river,  white-grey-green,  comes  tumbling,  dashing,  foam- 
ing, and  swirling  along  its  rocky  bed.  We  are  out  of  the 
interminable  snow-sheds  that  stretched  their  ugly  length 
along.  We  are  down  among  the  peaceful  hills  again,  the 
land  of  the  sunny  birch  trees. 

Tuesday  Noon. 
Whizzing   down   through   North    Dakota.     Will  reach 


ii4        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

St.  Paul  to-night,  we  hope  in  time  for  the  night  train,  but 
very  doubtful. 

I  am  getting  a  little  tired,  and  shall  be  glad  to  get  home. 
Pilakea,  pilakea!  I  want  a  bed  that  doesn't  rock.  I  long 
for  a  bath-tub  full  to  the  brim  of  good,  hot  water.  I  want 
a  closet  in  which  to  hang  up  my  clothes.  I  believe  I  have 
seen  enough  scenery  to  last  me  for  a  month. 

Out  of  the  Car- window. 

Blue  sky,  floating  grey-white  clouds,  golden  edges, 
and  feathery  silver  fleckings  beneath.  Hills,  hollowed  into 
ravines,  carpeted  with  green  and  gilded  with  trees;  great 
oblong  bowls  with  green  pines  and  russet  oaks,  full  to  the 
brim. 

I  like  the  scars  and  rifts  on  these  mellow  old  fields. 
They  laugh  and  twinkle  like  the  furrows  and  wrinkles  of 
some  friendly  old  face. 

Brown,  purple,  and  yellow-red  and  green,  with  here 
and  there  a  cotton- field  flashing  into  sight  like  an  untimely 
frost,  the  fields  stretch  out  on  either  hand. 

Little  rivulets  slipping  softly  over  flat,  smooth  stones, 
shelving  down  the  hillside.  Every  tree  has  a  new  fall  car- 
pet. Oak  trees  furnish  russet-brown;  maples,  red;  chest- 
nuts, yellow.  I  would  like  to  lie  upon  them  and  forget 
the  world. 

The  yellow  maple  leaves  are  like  golden  butterflies, 
fluttering  over  the  twigs  and  limbs:  they  are  the  only  thing 
that  is  alive  and  aware;  all  the  rest  are  ready  to  sleep. 

The  sumac  is  burning  out;  in  a  moment  it  will  be  gone; 
it  is  a  last  expiring  flame.  The  evergreens  are  soberly 
patient.  They  know  that  all  this  will  pass  away,  and  that 
they  alone  endure  to  the  end.  They  bide  their  time.  How 
defiantly  the  maples  flaunt  the  crimson!  the  oaks  are  sober 
and  subdued  —  out  of  the  sun  they  are  already  old, 
and  know  their  day  is  over,  holding  humbly  to  life, 
fastening  and  curling  around  the  twigs  and  branches  as 
if  they  already  felt  the  icy  blast  that  would  hurl  them  for- 
ever away  from  their  airy  home,  where  all  the  long  summer 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  115 

they  had  revelled  in  the  sunshine  and  danced  in  the 
breeze. 

In  the  midst  of  the  wood  are  golden  trees,  surrounded 
by  flowers  —  concentrated  sunshine,  glowing  and  intense. 

It  is  time  to  say  good-night.  The  clouds  grow  dim  and 
purple.  Shadows  grey  and  cold  gather  in  the  woodland; 
the  breeze  comes  cool  and  fresh  through  the  valleys,  only 
the  tops  of  the  trees  and  the  distant  hills  glow  in  the  sun- 
light. The  river  is  below  us  in  the  shadow,  a  placid  grey- 
green  mirror,  reflecting  the  trees  on  the  bank;  shadowy 
and  dreamy,  it  holds  them  deep  in  its  heart. 

One  last  glow  of  light;  the  world  is  in  shadow,  only 
memories  are  left.  Good-night;  no,  O  my  beloved,  day 
will  come  again,  and  all  the  dull  and  drear  will  glow  with 
new  life  —  you  will  be  with  me  again  and  my  life  will  have 
a  new  joy  and  a  sure  hope.  I  love  you. 


MEMORIAL  RESOLUTIONS 

THE   FORTNIGHTLY  CLUB 

Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Mrs.  Frances  Parker 
The  Fortnightly  Club  of  Chicago,  in  common  with  other 
literary  and  educational  societies,  sustains  a  great  loss. 

Although,  in  consequence  of  ill-health,  Mrs.  Parker  has 
recently  been  unable  to  be  much  with  us,  her  interest 
in  everything  pertaining  to  the  society  has  never  nagged. 

As  Mrs.  Parker  belonged  with  the  moderns,  it  is  all  the 
more  remarkable  that  the  conspicuous  feature  of  her  his- 
tory should  have  been  her  self-effacement  in  this  life-work 
of  her  husband.  It  became  her  life-work  and  happy  inter- 
est to  supplement  and  sustain  him  in  his  educational 
endeavors. 

She  was  a  patient  worker  along  broad  lines  for  the  com- 
mon good,  and  we  feel  sure  that  her  efforts  have  lost  nothing 
in  efficiency  because  they  were  unobtrusive  and  imper- 
sonal. 

It  seems  good  to  speak  of  and  emphasize  the  fact  that 
the  dear  member  who  has  gone  did  what  she  could  to 
make  life's  story  fair,  as  the  number  of  grateful  testimo- 
nials received  from  pupils  all  over  the  country,  and  from 
others,  old  and  young,  abundantly  testify. 

Resolved,  That  this   expression  of  our  deep  sense  of 
loss  and  of  our  appreciation  of  her  worth  be  spread  upon 
the  records  and  copies  be  sent  to  her  husband  and  children. 
Signed:          ANNIE  M.  ELA. 

MARY  H.  WILMARTH. 
ALICE  L.  WILLIAMS. 

CHICAGO  WOMAN'S  CLUB 

Whereas  death  has  removed  our  former  esteemed  friend 
and  co-worker  in  the  Department  of  Education,  Mrs.  Frances 
Stuart  Parker,  it  is  therefore 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  117 

Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the  conspicuous  position 
which  she  occupied  in  the  outposts  of  all  educational  and 
progressive  movements,  and  that  we  also  recognize  her  liter- 
ary ability  and  public  spirit. 

Resolved,  That  we  deplore  the  loss  of  a  friend  and  sister 
member  —  a  woman  of  high  aims,  and  one  whose  influence 
has  always  been  broad  and  elevating. 

We  request  that  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  forwarded 
to  Colonel  Parker,  who,  like  his  wife,  ever  has  been  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  work  and  growth  of  this  Club. 

ELLA  R.  JACKMAN. 
E.  PARKER. 
OLIVE  WESTON. 

THE  CHICAGO  POLITICAL  EQUALITY  LEAGUE 
The   following   memorial    tribute  to  Mrs.  Parker  was 
given  by  Mrs.  Celia  Parker  Woolley  at  the  meeting  of  the 
League,  May  6,  1899,  and  adopted  as  an  expression  of  the 
League's  regard : 

"Mrs.  Parker  was  a  woman  whose  pleasing  manners  and 
agreeable  presence  were  the  signs  of  a  rich  and  harmonious 
nature.  Her  tastes,  disposition,  and  principles  combined 
to  impart  a  moral  unity  to  her  character  and  create  a  dis- 
tinct and  happy  personality.  In  her  chosen  life-work  as  an 
educator  she  worked  along  the  lines  of  true  physical  devel- 
opment. She  was  a  teacher  of  the  Delsartean  principles, 
which  aim  through  bodily  grace  and  strength  to  afford  the 
living  spirit  within  a  freer  means  of  expression.  Her  labors 
as  a  teacher  were,  however,  confined  to  no  single  branch  or 
department.  She  was  actively  interested  in  the  entire  work 
of  education,  an  intelligent  and  sympathetic  co-worker  with 
her  husband  in  his  lifelong  efforts  to  secure  better  methods  in 
the  school-room  and  to  enlarge  and  dignify  the  teacher's  call- 
ing. Mrs.  Parker  was  a  radical  thinker,  a  woman  of  original, 
progressive  ideas,  with  the  full  courage  of  her  convictions, 
which  her  talent  as  a  platform  speaker  enabled  her  to  pre- 
sent in  the  most  convincing  and  pleasing  way.  She  was  of 
a  gracious  and  kindly  temperament,  and  found  warm  friends 


n8        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

and  admirers  wherever  she  went.  Her  work  among  the 
host  of  pupils  who  have  been  under  her  charge  will  bear 
fruit  in  a  widening  power  of  usefulness  and  a  growing  love 
and  esteem.  Death,  that  ends  the  earthly  phase  of  a  life  so 
well  lived,  brings  both  a  sense  of  loss  and  gain,  but  the  gain 
shall  exceed  the  loss.  Whatever  the  world  has  once  pos- 
sessed in  true  inspiration  or  noble  memory  it  can  never  really 
lose.  So  our  friend  continues  to  abide  with  us  as  a  beauti- 
ful remembrance,  an  inspiring  example  and  ideal.  She  has 
joined  'the  choir  invisible,' 

'Whose  music  is  the  gladness  of  the  world.'  " 
MEMORIAL  MEETING   FOR  COLONEL  PARKER 

At  the  memorial  meeting  held  for  Colonel  Parker  in  the 
Auditorium  April  19,  1902,  Mr.  Orville  T.  Bright,  Superin- 
tendent of  Cook  County  Schools,  spoke  as  follows : 

"This  brief  sketch  of  Colonel  Parker's  work  in  Engle- 
wood  would  be  incomplete  without  reference  to  his  home 
and  the  beautiful  spirit  that  presided  therein.  Mrs.  Parker 
was  her  husband's  constant  adviser  and  oftentimes  his 
inspiration  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  his  school  work.  Her 
unfaltering  allegiance  and  never-failing  courage  were  his 
strong  support.  A  woman  of  rare  accomplishments,  of  fine 
literary  and  artistic  tastes,  her  home  became  a  centre  of 
attraction  for  teachers  and  townspeople  of  culture  and 
refinement.  It  was  my  high  privilege  to  be  frequently 
welcomed  as  a  guest  in  this  home,  and  to  share  with  a  few 
others  each  Sunday  afternoon  during  the  last  few  months  of 
Mrs.  Parker's  life  the  charm  of  her  conversation,  which  was 
unimpaired  by  physical  pain  and  weakness.  She  was 
dominated  to  the  very  last  by  the  keenest  interest  in  all  that 
pertained  to  the  new  school  which  was  then  under  considera- 
tion. And,  though  she  could  not  live  to  see  her  dream  ful- 
filled, the  memory  of  her  glorious  heroism  and  devotion  will 
ever  be  an  inspiration  to  those  who  shall  carry  on  the  work. 

CHICAGO   NORMAL   SCHOOL 

The  members  of  the  Normal  Training  Class  of  1899  wish 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  119 

to  express  their  sincere   sympathy  for   you   in   your  great 
bereavement.     As  a  slight  expression  of  appreciation  of  Mrs. 
Parker's  work  in  connection  with  the  school,  they  wish  to 
provide  a  permanent  memorial  in  her  honor.* 
On  behalf  of  the  class, 

EVA  KENDALL, 

Pres.  of  Class. 

ILLINOIS  ASSOCIATION   OF  ELOCUTIONISTS 

Since  the  organization  of  our  Association,  in  1892,  the 
silent  messenger  of  death  has  never  laid  its  hand  on  any 
of  our  members  till  now.  One  of  our  ablest,  most  beloved, 
has  been  taken  from  us.  Mrs.  Frank  Stuart  Parker  was 
made  First  Vice-President  of  our  Association  at  the  date  of 
its  organization.  Her  naturally  high  ideals  of  life,  art,  and 
education  in  its  various  phases;  her  early  training  in  the 
aesthetics  of  expression;  her  rich  experience  as  a  member 
of  the  faculty  of  the  Boston  Monroe  School  of  Oratory; 
her  ability  and  experience  in  and  enthusiasm  for  organi- 
zation designed  to  promote  the  betterment  of  society  and 
art  —  all  combined  to  make  her  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 
useful  members.  Her  text-book  on  expression,  together 
with  her  other  written  contributions  to  art,  her  lectures  all 
over  America,  most  beautifully  and  potently  emphasize 
her  nobility  of  life  and  character,  and  have  left  an  indelible 
impression  upon  the  world,  and  especially  upon  our  Asso- 
ciation that  so  deeply  mourns  her  loss. 

Therefore,  be  it  Resolved,  That  this  Association  note 
with  deepest  sorrow  the  death  of  Mrs.  Frank  Stuart  Parker; 
that  we  cherish  with  immortal  remembrance  her  courtesy 
and  hospitality,  her  inspiring  lectures  and  kindly  criticism, 
her  purity  and  sweetness  of  life  and  manner,  which  so 
endeared  her  to  us  all,  and  that  we  extend  to  her  bereaved 
husband  and  family  our  profound  sympathy. 

HENRY  M.  SOPER,  Chairman, 
MARTHA  FLEMING, 
MYRA  POLLARD, 

Committee  on  Resolutions. 

*  This  memorial  was  a  large  picture  of  Watts'  Sir  Galahad. 


120  FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

CHICAGO   NORMAL  SCHOOL  ALUMNI 

We,  the  Alumni  of  the  Chicago  Normal  School,  wish  to 
express  to  you  our  deep  sympathy  for  your  irreparable  loss 
in  the  death  of  Mrs.  Parker,  and  our  appreciation  of  how 
much  her  enthusiasm  and  steadfastness  of  purpose  have 
given  to  the  spirit  of  the  school. 

Some  of  us  knew  her  as  a  great  personal  influence  for 
good  in  our  lives,  and  others  as  a  familiar  presence  in  the 
school.  All  of  us  felt  her  interest  and  love  behind  things, 
and  all  have  been  helped  and  inspired  in  our  work  by  the^ 
great  collection  of  art  and  literature  upon  which  she  spent 
so  much  time  and  loving  care. 

With  you,  we  have  been  glad  of  her  presence ;  with  many 
people,  we  rejoice  that  she  lived.  For  such  lives  there  is  no 
death. 

We  would  that  our  love  and  sympathy  could  make  your 
grief  even  a  little  less. 

ELSIE  WYGANT, 
MARY  HATTENDORF, 
ELSA  MILLER, 

Committee. 

EASTERN    BRANCH    OF   THE    COOK    COUNTY    NORMAL    SCHOOL 

ALUMNI 

We  wish  to  express  our  deep  sympathy  and  heartfelt 
appreciation  of  the  loss  which  the  school  has  sustained  in  the 
past  year  through  the  death  of  one  who  combined  to  a  rare 
degree  intellectual  brilliancy  and  womanly  tact;  who  pos- 
sessed the  keen  insight  and  ready  sympathy  which  made  her 
friendship  an  inspiration  to  faithfulness,  an  incitement  to 
courage,  and  a  challenge  to  strength. 


LETTERS    OF   CONDOLENCE 

Chicago,  111. 

My  dear  Colonel  Parker, — I  write  to  express  my  deep 
sympathy  with  you  in  your  loss.  While  I  did  not  know 
Mrs.  Parker  well,  I  knew  her  well  enough  to  be  acquainted 
with  her  unflagging  courage,  her  disposition,  so  full  of  cheer 
and  hope,  and  her  never-failing  interest  in  all  the  realities 
of  life.  I  can  imagine  what  a  break  in  the  firm-knit  com- 
panionship of  such  long  years  means.  Her  memory  is  a 
deep  inspiration  to  many,  who  share  to  some  degree  in 
your  loss,  and  it  is  in  this  community  of  loss  and  hope  and 
love  that  we  must  hope  to  find  our  strength. 

Sincerely  yours, 

JOHN  DEWEY. 

Brookline,  Mass. 

My  dear  Colonel  Parker, — The  news  that  Mrs.  Parker 
has  passed  to  the  other  side  was  heard  with  deep  regret. 
I  know  how  much  she  has  been  in  your  life,  and  how  hard 
it  will  be  for  you  to  go  without  her.  I  hope  and  pray  that 
the  help  and  strength  which  she  has  given  you  may  remain, 
and  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  complete  and  perfect  the 
"ood  work  which  you  are  doing.  True  education  is  eter- 
nal, and  we  may  be  sure  that  what  we  accomplish  will  stand 
and  will  be  a  source  of  satisfaction  through  all  the  future. 
With  kind  regards  and  sincere  sympathy  for  you  and 
the  members  of  your  family,  who  are  with  you, 

I  remain  your  friend, 

SAMUEL  T.  BUTTON. 

New  York. 

My  dear  Colonel, — God  bless  you,  my  dear  old  friend ! 
I  know  it  is  almost  useless  to  say,  "Bear  up,"  but  I  do  say 
it  and  know  you  will  struggle  with  all  your  might,  and  you 


122        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

will  march  on  in  the  devotion  you  have  for  the  great  cause 
of  education,  in  which  she  was  such  a  coadjutor  as  no  man 
ever  had  before.  Moved  by  her  spirit,  you  will  labor  as 
you  have  never  hitherto  labored  in  the  great  cause  she  dig- 
nified with  her  high  courage  and  brave  heart  throughout  a 
rarely  beautiful  and  useful  life. 

Yours  sympathetically  and  faithfully, 

CHAS.  H.  HAM. 

Winnetka,  111. 

My  dear  Friend, —  .  .  .  Hers  was  a  beautiful, 
valuable  life,  generously  spent  for  her  friends  and  the  grand 
work  of  helping  to  ennoble  and  enrich  our  educational  system. 
We  all  rejoice  to  have  had  her  beautiful  ministry,  and  are 
richer  to  the  end  of  time  because  she  dwelt  for  a  space  among 
us.  ...  Your  friend, 

JESSIE  WILLARD  BOLTE. 

Chicago,  111. 

My  dear  Colonel  Parker, —  I  in  common  with  thousands 
of  teachers  in  this  city  and  state  and  country  bow  my  head 
in  sorrow  and  sympathy  at  notice  of  that  great  silence  that 
has  fallen  upon  your  home  and  life.  The  long  struggle, 
needing  more  courage  than  to  face  an  army  with  banners,  was 
bravely  made,  and  to-day  the  weary  victor  is  at  rest. 

Most  sincerely, 

W.  H.  CAMPBELL. 

Hinsdale,  111. 

Dear  Colonel  Parker, —  .  .  .  When  I  was  a  shy 
and  ignorant  young  girl,  she  saw  that  I  needed  the  help 
she  knew  so  well  how  to  give.  She  offered  it  quietly,  and 
she  gave  me  fully  and  graciously  this  assistance  toward  real- 
izing my  best  self  —  though  it  cost  her  many  a  leisure  hour. 
Her  influence  has  helped  me  ever  since,  though  this  was  many 
years  ago  —  and  with  the  influence  lives  a  tender  memory 
of  the  giver.  .  .  .  Yours, 

BERTHA  PAINE. 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  123 

Montebello,  Charlottesville,  Va., 

My  dear  Colonel  Parker, —  .  .  .  Though  I  have 
met  Mrs.  Parker  but  once,  I  have  never  forgotten  her.  Her 
sweet,  sympathetic  nature,  her  enthusiasm  for  progressive 
efforts,  and  her  remarkable  intelligence  are  still  in  my 
memory  as  I  observed  them  during  my  short  visit  to  your 
home.  .  .  . 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

MAXMILIAN  P.  E.  GROTZMAN. 

Pray  let  me  have  a  word  from  you  in  regard  to  my  dear 
friend.  What  has  happened,  what  has  come  to  her  to  end 
that  still  so  young,  so  hopeful,  and  so  promising  a  life? 

She  seemed  so  well  when  we  last  saw  her,  and  her  last 
letters  to  me  sounded  so  joyous,  so  full  of  life  and  pride  for 
you  on  account  of  your  re-election,  and  the  recognition  that 
had  come  to  you  for  your  services  to  education,  and  I  already 
rejoiced  at  the  expectation  of  meeting  her  on  my  intended 
summer  trip  West.  Louis  PRANG. 

I  am  shocked  and  deeply  grieved  at  the  news  of  Mrs. 
Parker's  death,  which  has  just  reached  me,  and  I  hasten  to 
express  my  affectionate  and  deep  sympathy  with  you  in  your 
irreparable  loss. 

Keep  up  a  stout  heart,  and  be  of  good  cheer;  the  end  is 
not  yet.  NICHOLAS  MURRAY  BUTLER. 

I  have  just  opened  the  Sunday  "  Inter-Ocean"  of  April  2d, 
in  which  I  find  the  announcement  of  the  death  of  your  dear 
wife. 

I  have  always  remembered  my  brief  visit  at  your  home, 
so  many  years  ago,  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure. 

Mrs.  Parker  was  a  marvel  of  a  woman  to  meet.  Her 
kind,  unobtrusive  manner  was  very  attractive. 

We  have  lost  a  good  worker  in  the  suffrage  cause,  as 
weltfas  in  every  reform  for  the  uplifting  of  humanity. 

SUSAN  B.  ANTHONY. 


124        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

Looking  out  upon  the  purpling  hills  to-day,  it  comes  to 
me  that  your  dear  one  has  found  the  only  repose  that  satis- 
fies the  hungry  soul,  and  it  makes  me  glad  to  feel  sure  that 
the  activity  of  her  mind  and  the  energy  of  her  zealous  spirit 
have  found  in  the  universe  infinite  subjects  of  investiga- 
tion, and  answers  to  every  problem  that  interested  and 
pleased  her  during  the  journey  to  the  stars.  If  we  might 
only  lift  the  veil!  CLARA  CONWAY. 

Almost  irresistibly  I  take  my  pen  to  express  to  you  the 
exceedingly  high  esteem  in  which  I  held  Mrs.  Parker,  and 
sincerely  regret  that  the  educational  world  has  lost  one  of 
the  greatest  women  this  country  has  produced. 

C.  S.  YOUNG. 

To  have  known  and  loved  such  a  dear  woman  as  Mrs. 
Parker,  even  from  afar,  has  been  a  privilege,  and  those  who 
lived  within  the  charmed  circle  of  her  nearer  influence  can 
never,  while  they  live,  pass  beyond  its  power  and  abiding 
presence. 

What  a  record  of  years  and  talents  devoted  to  uplifting, 
educating,  and  purifying  the  world!  How  her  memory  will 
burn  brighter,  as  we  all  rise  to  a  fuller  realization  of  all  to 
which  she  aspired  and  largely  accomplished  ere  she  was 
called  away! 

The  few  hours  in  which  I  knew  her  have  given  me  an 
inspiration  for  the  rest  of  my  life. 

EMMA  L.  DILLINGHAM. 

There  are  many  women  Mrs.  Parker  helped  who  will 
feel  as  I  do,  that  a  noble  and  helpful  woman  has  left  us  for 
a  little  while.  I  did  not  know  until  long  afterwards  how 
much  she  had  done  for  me,  for  all  true  work  that  we  do 
for  each  other  is  as  a  seed  planted.  LAURA  STEELE. 

Mrs.  Parker's  influence  upon  the  thought  of  the  teachers 
is  so  potent  still,  and  every  room  in  our  school  is  so  eloquent 
of  her  helpful  spirit,  that  I  can  scarcely  pursuade  myself  that 
I  have  never  met  her.  ANTOINETTE  B.  HOLLISTER. 


REMINISCENCES  AND   LETTERS  125 

Other   letters   and   resolutions   were   received  from  the 
following  friends  and  associations: 

Sarah  Hackett  Stevenson.  E.  O.  Lyte. 

L.  Seeley.  Edmund  J.  James. 

James  L.  Hughes.  Clarence  E.  Meleney. 

Sadie  American.  Edgar  Burgess. 

Amos  L.  Kellogg.  C.  C.  Van  Liem. 

Lydia  Avery  Coonley-Ward.  Jessie  Warder. 

W.  E.  Pulsifer.  W.  A.  Mclntyre. 

Russell  Hinman.  Carrie  E.  Myers. 

Kate  S.  Kellogg.  Carlo tta  P.  Scobey. 

Nellie  Lathrop  Helm.  Frances  Effinger  Raymond. 

Elinor  O.  Westcott.  Mrs.  J.  V.  D.  Pennypacker. 

H.  D.  Fulton,  Graham  Taylor. 

Commander  Meade  Post. 

George  G.  Meade  Post  No.  444. 

Ella  F.  Young  Club. 

George  Rowland  Club. 

Hilo  Teachers'  Union. 

Cook  County  Teachers'  Association. 

Faculty  of  the  New  Orleans  Normal  School. 

Englewood  Woman's  Club. 

Woman's  Club  of  Austin. 

Home  Club  Fortnightly. 


NEWSPAPER  EDITORIALS 
THE  WOMAN'S  TRIBUNE,  Washington,  D.  C.,  April  22,  1899 

A  woman  whom,  once  having  met,  you  could  never  forget, 
and  whom,  knowing  in  a  capacity  which  admitted  of  calling 
her  friend,  you  would  always  have  a  sense  of  richness  added 
to  life,  was  Frances  Stuart  Parker.  The  first  time  I  came 
within  the  influence  of  her  gracious  presence  was  hi  1884, 
when  attending  a  meeting  of  the  A.  A.  W.  in  Chicago,  and 
stopping  at  the  hotel  where  were  Colonel  Parker  and  his 
wife,  then  recently  from  Boston.  I  did  not  meet  them, 
but  saw  and  heard  much  of  them,  and  a  year  or  two  after- 
wards found  Mrs.  Parker  active  in  a  suffrage  convention 
at  Englewood.  It  was  arranged  that  I  should  be  her  guest 
that  night,  and  since  then  my  Chicago  home,  in  transit, 
has  been  with  her. 

Mrs.  Parker,  who  had  been,  before  her  marriage,  teacher 
of  elocution  and  Delsarte  in  the  School  of  Oratory  hi  Bos- 
ton, threw  herself  heartily  into  the  educational  work  of  her 
husband,  Colonel  F.  W.  Parker,  in  the  East  in  the  Martha's 
Vineyard  Summer  School,  and  then  in  the  West,  where 
Colonel  Parker  has  made  a  distinctive  name  in  the  educa- 
tional world,  as  writer  and  as  advocate  of  new  methods 
in  education,  which  were  being  worked  out  in  the  Cook 
County  Normal  School.  Mrs.  Parker  has  been  intimately 
associated  with  her  husband's  work.  Whatever  she  might 
have  been  doing  in  her  own  special  line  as  a  lecturer  and 
writer  on  dress  reform  and  voice  culture,  or  in  the  asso- 
ciations for  various  lines  of  woman's  work,  hi  which  she 
was  an  active  and  influential  member,  the  unique  and  pro- 
gressive work  of  her  husband  hi  the  educational  field 
seemed  always  nearest  her  heart.  One  of  the  beautiful 
services  she  rendered  it  was  to  arrange  and  classify  clip- 
pings and  pictures  on  all  subjects  that  would  be  likely  to 
interest  or  instruct  the  pupils,  and  these  were  placed  in 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  127 

the  Normal  School  Library  for  reference.  Mrs.  Parker  has 
done  more  to  popularize  a  healthful  and  artistic  style  of  dress 
than  any  other  woman.  Her  book,  "  Dress  and  How  to  Im- 
prove It,"  is  the  standard  on  this  subject.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  rich  achievements  of  her  life  along  so  many  lines, 
Mrs.  Parker  was  only  fifty-one  years  of  age  at  the  time  of 
her  death.  Before  the  mysteries  of  life  and  eternity,  which 
make  it  right  that  she  whose  earthly  existence  meant  so 
much  to  family,  friends,  and  the  large  circle  outside  who 
knew  and  appreciated  her,  should  pass  on  thus  early  from 
surroundings  and  companionship  which  were  all  that 
could  make  a  human  being  happy  and  useful,  we  must  be 
dumb  and  patient.  Perhaps  it  may  help  us  to  have  faith 
that  it  is  right  and  just  if  we  keep  in  mind  the  broad  scope 
of  life  and  work,  and  realize  that  one  may  be  all  the  more 
needed  for  the  larger  mission,  that  can  only  be  performed 
by  the  disembodied  soul,  by  reason  of  the  very  perfection 
of  life  here. 

EDUCATIONAL  REVIEW,  May,  1899 

After  a  long  illness,  heroically  borne,  Frances  Stuart 
Parker,  wife  of  Colonel  Francis  W.  Parker,  has  passed  away. 
Even  old  friends  hesitate,  at  such  a  time,  to  give  expression  to 
what  is  in  their  thoughts.  But  it  is  permissible  to  record 
here  our  sense  of  appreciation  of  the  grave  loss  which  educa- 
tion has  suffered  in  Mrs.  Parker's  death.  Wise,  far-seeing, 
vigilant,  enthusiastic,  untiring,  Mrs.  Parker,  both  in  her  own 
name  and  as  her  distinguished  husband's  helpmate,  was  a 
potent  force  in  the  struggle  for  higher  ideals  in  American 
education  and  in  American  life.  Her  influence  and  her 
example  are  not  time's  servants. 

THE  SCHOOL  JOURNAL,  April  15,  1899 

In  the  death  of  Mrs.  Parker,  Chicago  has  lost  an  excellent 
teacher  and  Colonel  Parker  his  mainstay.  Ever  since  their 
marriage,  in  1882,  Mrs.  Parker's  work  has  been  so  united  with 
that  of  her  husband  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  say  what  part 


128        FRANCES  STUART  PARKER 

has  been  his  and  what  part  hers.  She  has  been,  moreover,  an 
excellent  teacher,  and  the  pupils  who  owe  to  her  their  present 
success  as  teachers  and  elocutionists  number  many  hundreds, 
and  probably  several  thousands.  She  has  been  a  powerful 
factor  in  interpreting  Colonel  Parker  to  the  world.  Many 
times  in  the  presence  of  a  class  he  has  attempted  to  state  his 
ideas  when,  seeing  her  shake  her  head,  he  felt  that  he  was  not 
always  understood,  and  the  statement  would  be  re-made  by 
her,  always  with  clearness  and  force. 

AMERICAN  PRIMARY  TEACHER,  May,  1899 

The  death  of  Mrs.  Frank  Stuart  Parker,  wife  of  Col.  Fran- 
cis W.  Parker,  on  April  2d,  removes  from  among  us  a  woman 
widely  known  and  much  respected  and  beloved.  Her  devo- 
tion to  the  Chicago  Normal  School  (formerly  Cook  County 
Normal  School),  her  service  to  the  Colonel  in  all  his  educa- 
tional activities,  her  influence  in  many  lines  of  philanthropic 
and  educational  work,  as  well  as  her  charming  personality, 
will  cause  her  to  be  greatly  missed. 

HAWAIIAN  GAZETTE,  April  21,  1899 

Mrs.  Frances  Stuart  Parker  will  be  remembered  as  hav- 
ing given  a  course  of  lectures  at  Progress  Hall  last  summer. 
She  made  many  friends  while  here,  who  were  shocked  to 
hear  the  sad  news  of  her  death.  She  was  born  in  Boston, 
where  she  became  well  known  through  her  connection  with 
educational  work.  She  was  one  of  the  leading  exponents 
of  Delsarte  of  the  country.  She  possessed  a  trained  and 
pleasing  voice,  and  was  an  able  lecturer.  At  the  time  of  her 
death  she  was  a  prominent  member  of  educational  societies 
and  women's  leagues. 

EDUCATIONAL  JOURNAL  OF  WESTERN  CANADA,  April,  1899 

There  are  few  teachers  in  Manitoba  to  whom  the  news  of 
the  death  of  Mrs.  Frances  Stuart  Parker  will  not  come  as  a 
painful  shock.  A  few  of  Mrs.  Parker's  many  warm  friends 
in  the  province  were  aware  that  since  her  visit  to  Mani- 


REMINISCENCES  AND  LETTERS  129 

toba,  during  the  autumn  of  1897,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Provincial  Teachers'  Association,  her  health  had  been  some- 
what uncertain,  but  none  even  suspected  that  her  condition 
was  so  serious  as  to  betoken  a  fatal  issue. 

Frances  Stuart  had  achieved  a  national  reputation  as  a 
teacher  in  the  Boston  School  of  Oratory  when,  in  1882,  she 
became  the  wife  of  the  distinguished  educationist,  Col. 
Francis  W.  Parker,  who  was  at  that  time  supervisor  of  the 
Boston  Schools.  It  is  not  enough  to  say  that  she  has  been  the 
devoted  helpmate  of  the  most  heroic  figure  in  the  educational 
life  of  this  continent.  She  has  followed  her  chief  to  the  field 
and  has  stood  by  his  side  in  the  heat  and  stress  of  the  battle 
for  educational  reform,  for  sounder  methods,  for  broader 
sympathy,  until  in  the  discussion  of  the  Cook  County  Nor- 
mal School  and  the  educational  forces  that  have  radiated 
therefrom  we  have  come  to  speak  of  the  influence  of  the 
Parkers.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that,  of  all  the  outside 
influences  which  have  directed  and  moulded  educational 
thought  in  Manitoba,  the  most  potent  for  good  has  been  the 
influence  of  the  Parkers.  Mrs.  Parker's  talks  on  Expression 
and  Child  Study  are  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  teachers  and 
have  exercised  an  influence  for  good  which  cannot  be  esti- 
mated. She  not  only  pleaded  earnestly  and  eloquently  for 
the  development  of  that  divine  instrument,  the  human  voice, 
but  she  set  before  us  a  well-nigh  perfect  model.  Here  was  a 
lesson  in  which  theory  and  practice  were  in  perfect  accord. 
Her  addresses  on  Child  Study  have  done  much  to  lead 
teachers  to  a  more  loving  and  sympathetic  knowledge  of 
child  life.  Mrs.  Parker  was  an  example  of  well-poised 
womanhood  —  the  new  woman  in  the  highest  and  best  sense, 
the  true  teacher,  one  whose  influence  shall  "roll  from  soul  to 
soul,  and  grow  forever  and  forever." 

JOURNAL  OF  EDUCATION,  April  6,  1899 

Mrs.  Frank  Stuart  Parker,  wife  of  Colonel  F.  W.  Parker 

of  the  Chicago  Normal  School,  died  in  their  home  on  April  i, 

after  a  painful  illness  of  several  weeks.     She  knew  from  the 

first  that  recovery  was  impossible,  that  she  could  not  live  to 


i3o  FRANCES   STUART  PARKER 

see  the  brightness  of  another  summer,  and  yet  she  was  as 
cheerful  and  courageous  as  in  the  days  of  her  most  exuberant 
life.  She  always  talked,  and  insisted  that  others  should  talk, 
as  if  she  were  to  live  for  years.  She  planned  for  herself 
and  others  just  as  if  she  were  to  get  up  and  renew  her 
service  to  the  world.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  her  husband 
devoted  himself  to  her  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  his  nature. 
Her  daughters,  who  are  married  and  living  in  the  East,  both 
went  to  her  and  added  to  the  courage  and  cheer  of  the  home. 
At  last  there  was  a  warning  of  a  few  hours  that  the  end  had 
come,  and  then  they  faced  the  inevitable,  but  there  was  not  a 
flutter  of  anxiety  on  her  part.  It  was  beautiful  recognition 
of  the  relation  of  life  to  its  close. 

WESTERN  SCHOOL  JOURNAL 

On  April  i,  in  Chicago,  Frank  Stuart,  wife  of  Col.  Francis 
W.  Parker  of  the  Chicago  Normal  School,  died,  in  the  fifty- 
first  year  of  her  age.  Mrs.  Parker  was  almost  as  well  known 
as  the  Colonel  himself.  She  was  a  brilliant  woman,  of 
fascinating  personality.  Colonel  Parker  has  the  sympathy 
of  all  his  friends,  and  they  are  wherever  teachers  are  to  be 
found. 

MANCHESTER  DAILY  MIRROR,  April  3,  1899 

DEATH  OF  MRS.   F.   W.  PARKER 

Wife  of  the  distinguished  educator  of  Chicago,  and  well- 
known  in  this  city 

Mr.  John  Cayzer,  of  West  Manchester,  is  in  receipt  of  a 
telegram  from  Col.  F.  W.  Parker,  of  the  Chicago  Normal 
School,  announcing  the  death  of  his  wife.  Mrs.  Parker  was 
well  known  in  this  city,  where  she  had  frequently  visited, 
and  was  greatly  beloved  by  all  who  enjoyed  her  acquaintance. 
Her  last  visit  here  was  about  a  year  ago,  on  the  occasion  of  her 
husband's  address  before  the  Parker  Veteran  Club  at  the 
high  school  building.  This  club  is  an  outgrowth  of  the 
Fourth  New  Hampshire  Volunteers,  which  regiment  Col. 
Parker  commanded  during  the  war  between  the  North  and 
South. 


C.  L.  BICKETTB 
CHICAGO 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBAN* 

B.P2395P1  C001 

FRANCES  STUART  PARKER;  REMINISCENCES  AND 


30112025408474 


